Pop 'stache

Male Bonding’s first album, Nothing Hurts, was a solid collection of noisy indie rock jams that was thoroughly enjoyable — yet not exactly groundbreaking. One year and two EPs after the release of Nothing Hurts, the band has dropped their second album, Endless Now, which, for better or worse, is essentially more of the same: a satisfying assortment of upbeat dream-punk that doesn’t really break into new territory.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that Endless Now isn’t worth a listen because it definitely is, especially for those looking for something easy and lighthearted to end the summer with. Although the album lacks a clear evolution from the band’s previous work, the band seems comfortable experimenting with their droning, fuzzy style. That comfort allows the band to really play up their strengths, namely hypnotic guitar riffs, haunting vocal harmonies and catchy hooks.

Noteworthy tracks on Endless Now include album opener “Tame the Sun,” which starts the album off running with a catchy, upbeat song that perfectly sets the mood for songs to follow, and the volatile “Mysteries Complete,” which adds an extra layer of fuzz to the band’s already noisy style. Especially worth mentioning is the album’s fourth track, “Bones,” which easily is the album’s greatest departure from Male Bonding’s earlier recordings and the record’s one real effort at innovation.

While most of the tracks on the album weigh in at an average of two and a half minutes long, “Bones” sticks around for more than six minutes and really shows what the band can do when they give a song the chance to establish a groove.

Other songs rigidly follow a pretty typical punk rock verse-chorus structure, but “Bones” is a little more nuanced. It has a little more breathing room to play with different elements and progressions. It’s a really interesting experiment and a step in the right direction if the band hopes to avoid growing stale.

Although “Bones” is an easy standout, there isn’t really a single misstep over the album’s 11 other tracks; some are clearly better than others, but every song feels like it belongs. Perhaps more importantly, every song is enjoyable and worth listening to. This is an album that’s easy to listen to from start to finish.

In true punk fashion, Endless Now is a rather short and sweet affair. Clocking in at just more than 36 minutes, the record breezes by. Even though it feels fairly brisk, it is a satisfying listen.

Endless Now manages to strike a perfect balance. Any longer and that fuzz would have become an unending drone; any shorter and it would be over too quickly. As it is, Male Bonding’s second full-length does exactly what it needs to: It’s an enjoyable indie punk album, and it cements the band’s style without just being a rehash of Nothing Hurts.

The band probably could’ve used a little more help differentiating it from their other records, but Endless Now is still a fun, catchy album to end your summer with.

Male Bonding – Endless Now Tracklisting:

1. “Tame the Sun”
2. “Carrying”
3. “Seems to Notice Now”
4. “Bones”
5. “Before It’s Gone”
6. “What’s That Scene?”
7. “Mysteries Complete”
8. “Can’t Dream”
9. “The Saddle”
10. “Channeling Your Fears”
11. “Dig You Out”
12. “Reprise”

New Age has all the trappings of a hit indie-pop album — whistles and keys, fluttering riffs, cutesy “Oohs” and “Aahs” paired with offbeat lyrics and a male frontrunner with a high-pitched croon.

It’s a good record, but The Albertans’ list of sounds-like bands could fill a festival: New Pornographers, Stars, Ezra Furman and the Harpoons, a Disney version of Arcade Fire, The Dodos plus two women. New Age and its five Brooklyn-by-Vancouver makers are regrettably unoriginal, but unlike other indie-pop bands bobbing in the genre’s deluge, The Albertans are poised with plenty of potential. The players are there and their talent is evident, but on New Age, the band’s envelope is sealed tightly shut.

The album’s bookends, “Jackpot” and “New Age,” are the best of the lot — musically jubilant, with the band pushing through charmingly tangled melodies with distinct drum and bass lines. Both tracks are catchy, earnest and quirky — exactly what indie pop should be. “Megan” is fun and “Furniture” is lovely, and the addictive-as-hell chorus of “New Age” has the vocalists shouting, “Where are those indigo youth?” — whatever it means, the track begs to be a sing-a-long.

New Age is generally upbeat — if not in lyrics then in melody — with exceptions such as “The Wake,” a song about suicide with a delightful post-chorus guitar line, and the break-up song “May,” a somber solo by one of the two female vocalists typically supporting lead vocalist Joel Bravo, who has the gift of being a near-vocal twin to Dan Bejar (Destroyer, The New Pornographers). Then again, Bravo and The Albertans’ similarity to Bejar and The New Pornographers — both mixed-gender Canadian bands — could also be a curse for the young band, which already has trouble crafting a distinct listing for itself in the indie-pop classifieds.

The two Ditty Bops-like female vocalists, Alison Yip and Krystin Monaghan, work better on their own, as opposed to solely supporting Bravo on tracks such as “People Don’t Go.”

In the end, New Age leaves listeners with a sense that this is a good indie band that will long be stuck opening for a better indie band — an idea that would be instantly invalidated if the band goes outside its comfort zone. The album will be played in hip coffee shops, the band will make it on the festival circuit and its members will produce gig posters with hip owl graphics. (A conclusion made long before heading to the band’s Facebook page, where its profile picture is a black-and-white illustrated owl perching above some cursive typeface. Oof.) But all it would take is a little stretching of the legs — a little less tambourine and a little more ingenuity — to make the band a headliner.

The Albertans – New Age

1. Jackpot
2. The Wake
3. Mila
4. May
5. Megan
6. Okay Now
7. People Don’t Go
8. Furniture
9. Mellow
10. New Age

One hit wonders The Rapture return with another full-length, five years after their last installment, Pieces of the People We Love. The love theme continues with In the Grace of Your Love, whose album cover features a boy surfing. Perhaps he is feeling safe and free in the grace of said love.

In any case, the cover doesn’t mean to imply surfing feel in the tunes, a recent indie movement. However, The Rapture has definitely altered their sound to match current dance pop/rock trends. Many tunes are derivative of Cut Copy in particular. This is clear even from the opener, “Sail Away.” A good handful of the tracks feature similar rhythmic and melodic sensibilities.

This is a fairly substantial shift from the sound that the band built their initial success on. They shook the ground a bit in 2003 with “House of Jealous Lovers,” a raucous slab of dance rock replete with a funky, funky bass line and the best use of cowbell since Blue Oyster Cult. Luke Jenner’s off-key vocals fit perfectly as he wailed the simple lyrics a top an undeniably fun groove. It helped usher in the soon-to-be-huge dance punk sound. Echoes was similarly praised on the whole for its fresh style, but had little lasting power.

With the exception of its key single and the title track, the tunes were poorly written or boring. Then when LCD Soundsystem dropped their first full-length, they basically shut down all other dance punk acts because they were so above them all. The Rapture struggled to adjust with their 2006 release and it’s no surprise the band has been practically dormant since.

The most noticeable things about their sound turn out to be the things that work against them the most.

The band’s sound is often overly simplified. There is a lot of dead space in the production that doesn’t fit the atmosphere they are trying to project. And then there’s Jenner’s vocals. This guy tries to have the versatility of James Murphy, but besides the fact that he can’t sing, he really can’t emote. He’s best when he’s just shouting about nothing in particular and only occasionally (refer again to “House of Jealous Lovers”), but certainly that style couldn’t sustain an album’s worth of songs. So the attempts to diversify are understood, though unfortunate in their execution. The results are either dull or laughable.

“How Deep Is Your Love?” is unfortunately not a Bee Gees cover. That being said, it’s easily the strongest track on the album. The thick synths give the track some extra backbone lacking from a majority of the record. The song also has some cool sax work. It will make for a really fun live song.

The only thing there is that the beginning of the chorus, “Let me hear that song” will inevitably sound like “Let me see that thong” to listeners who grew up loving Sisqo’s hit. The descriptive writing in this song doesn’t parallel “She had dumps like a truck,” which may or may not be a good thing.

The album closes with “It Takes Time To Be A Man,” which, as the title implies, is a really cheesy song. The music isn’t bad, and certainly could have been the foundation for a solid song, but the lyrics and weak vocals really kill things. Nothing here is as egregious as Echoes track “Open Up Your Heart” (which astute listeners may recall opens with Jenner sounding a lot like the creepy old pedophile in “Family Guy”), but it’s overall quite boring.

In the Grace of Your Love is not going to reassert The Rapture as a band to pay attention to—and it wouldn’t be surprising if this were their last release altogether—but at least it gives them a reason to hit the road. Their greatest strength has always been their live show, where the weaknesses in the writing are completely overshadowed by the energy of the band. It’s a guaranteed, massive dance party.

The Rapture – In the Grace of Your Love Tracklist:

1. “Sail Away”
2. “Miss You”
3. “Blue Bird”
4. “Come Back To Me”
5. “In The Grace Of Your Love”
6. “Never Die Again”
7. “Roller Coaster”
8. “Children”
9. “Can You Find A Way?”
10. “How Deep Is Your Love?”
11. “It Takes Time To Be A Man”

Sometimes there’s nothing wrong with straight up rock ‘n’ roll. In an age where everything seems to come with an esoteric genre tag—be it indie rock, indie pop, pop rock, indie pop rock, ad infintum—it’s nice when something unpretentious (read: non-douchey) comes along. These days, it’s a rarity that an album comes along that can simply be enjoyed for what it is.

On their third studio album—aptly though annoyingly titled 3—Cincinnati natives Buffalo Killers come close to achieving this most elusive of goals. Over the course of 12 tracks, 3 unfolds at a leisurely and bluesy pace, showcasing the trio’s penchant for sleepy soft rock melodicism and straightforward, down-home lyrics.

While it’s easy to like Buffalo Killers, it’s a bit difficult to sing their praises. While the album is certainly listenable—the kind that sounds most at home on a hot summer day, set to the backdrop of a backyard cookout or suburban block party—the album lacks a replay factor. A one-time listen is enough to catch the gist. While it may be an album that lends itself to the “just put it on and listen” factor, 3 comes with diminished returns.

Unlike their previous efforts, Buffalo Killers have paired down the slick riffs and thunderous rhythms of their previous efforts, this time preferring a more melodic and subtle aesthetic that better suits their playing style. Perhaps it was the influence of The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach—who produced their second LP Let It Ride—that yielded such boisterous hard rock, but the band proves wise in their decision to dial it back.

The end result is an album that boasts a myriad of disparate (albeit familiar) sounds, suggesting Buffalo Killers have a knack for songwriting that surpasses a good number of their peers.

The album kicks off with the gentle “Huma Bird,” a veritable Joe Walsh outtake that bleeds into the next track, “Circle Day,” a decidedly more raucous tune that evokes the likes of Neil Young at his most psychedelic. 3 is littered with similar references, suggesting the Buffalo Killers are just as eager to boast about their favorite music as they are to play their own.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with that (pop music is a modern art, after all) but it does get exasperating, particularly in moments that are so on-the-nose as to avoid comparison. “Take Your Place,” for example, owes so much to Buffalo Springfield that “influenced by” instantly becomes less appropriate than “blatantly copied.”

But there are bright spots. “Time Was Shaping,” yet another riff on the Neil Young and Crazy Horse blues sound, is just original-sounding enough to call to mind a dusty dive bar scene, with neon signs advertising Pabst Blue Ribbon and the cracking sounds of billiard balls.

As the albums draws to a close, 3 slows down considerably. The closer “Could Never Be” represents a perfect closer. With its extended outtro boasting a hauntingly somber guitar solo (care of lead singer Andrew Gabbard), the song wraps things up in an efficient yet endearing way. Unfortunately, the sense of finality is too large to overcome. 3 is a nice summer album—too bad the summer’s nearly over.

Buffalo Killers – 3 Tracklist:

1. “Huma Bird”
2. “Circle Day”
3. “Mountain Sally”
4. “Spend My Last Breath”
5. “Lily Of The Valley”
6. “Jon Jacobs”
7. “All Turn To Cloud”
8. “Take Your Place”
9. “Time Was Shaping”
10. “Move On”
11. “Everyone Know It But You”
12. “Could Never Be”

There are bands that possess the ability to invoke deep emotion. Cymbals Eat Guitars has an intertwining of instrumental play, the echo of a subtle tom drum beating well into the distance and a pronounced vocalist developing a multitude of spiritual and poetic points for the consumer to enjoy. They are a quartet of righteous dudes drumming, strumming and singing their way into America’s foremost thoughts. High school buddies turned musical sensation self-released their debut back in ’09, and with a couple years of touring, tuning and recording, are back with Lenses Alien.

Frontman and guitarist Joseph D’Agostino utilizes his vocal explorations to boldly go where only a handful of brave lyricists have ever gone before. Taking his choral prowess to new levels, he has the mobility to keep the pace in faster songs like, “Keep Me Waiting,” where his high pitch fits firmer than a Frenchman’s trousers, or work slower and more melodic tunes such as, “Definite Darkness,” showing that D’Agostino can pour out his lyrics like molasses on a cold January morning.

Drawing their name from Lou Reed lyrics and tailoring their sound around rock ‘n’ roll powerhouses like Pavement, D’Agostino has a high-pitched appeal that not only ties the album together, but captivates. With soaring highs mixed with dramatic guitars and synths, there is a boundless appeal to each track on Lenses.

The indie rock scene is abound with known acts that ramble through two-hour power sets and drop incredible albums packed with hit song after hit song. My Morning Jacket, Portugal. The Man and Foster the People are a few. Cymbals Eat Guitars, in its young career, is keeping pace with the festival circuit regulars and gaining speed. Their sound caught the attention of Pitchfork, who vehemently gave their debut an astounding 8.3/10. Not an easy feat in those circles, but being from New York might have upped their “cool guy” points by a couple.

All things considered, there is a more mature sound to Lenses compared to their first album, and their energy and attention to detail still remain.

With all that growing in a rapidly changing music industry, Cymbals is brave to keep their sound and keep the good thing that they have going. Lenses is a great traveling album and though they may not have a progressive sound like, for instance, Minus the Bear, they are still spot-on for a top-down, cross-country trip.

In some respects, Cymbals has moved away from a bohemian sound like that heard in “And The Hazy Sea,” from their first album, and traded it for a more rock sound by way of “Keep Me Waiting” from their latest, which also draws an out-of-tune but still rocking guitar backing. This song touts an irregular, momentarily mainstream sound but never lacks energy, and is raucous all the way through.

In a world where excess is rewarded, it’s refreshing to know that there are still acts out there willing to keep it bare-bones and make that sound fantastic. The tradeoff from Lenses Alien hovers somewhere between polished, yet not polished enough. The album is indeed an outstanding sophomore effort and has no lack of potential for helping Cymbals Eat Guitars to take off into the far beyond. The only question is: Will they land soundly on their feet? The magic eight-ball says, “It is decidedly so.”

Cymbals Eat Guitars – Lenses Alien Tracklist:

1. “Rifle Eyesight (Proper Name)”
2. “Shore Points”
3. “Keep Me Waiting”
4. “Plainclothes”
5. “Definite Darkness”
6. “Another Tunguska”
7. “The Current”
8. “Wavelengths”
9. “The Secret Family”
10. “Gary Condit”

Have we heard this all before?  Yes.  Is it wonderful to hear it all again, and in the form of Ganglians?  An emphatic yes.

What the Sacramento quartet  have done on their third record (and first for Lefse, after releasing two on Woodsist) is meld their mish-mosh of modern indie rock and pop styles into a heady brew of lovely and compelling melodies and C86-inspired jangliness, all constructed within a cathedral-like echo chamber to connect the parallel lines between Bon Iver and The Besnard Lakes, The Shop Assistants and The Horrors.

Listeners who used to live in The House Of Love or Chapterhouse will be at home here, as will those that still bop to the rhythm of The Black Tambourine and have come to love rock again after discovering The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart.

Yes, it’s yet another group that can’t be described without a deluge of influences, but what makes Ganglians unique and worth standing on their own?

Listeners not thoroughly immersed in the mis-en-scène of shiny, shimmery shoegazery will still relate to the engaging melodies, winning guitar hooks and lovely intervals that create a miasma that makes their indelible sleeve tattoos of influence easy to forgive.

“Evil Weave” somehow weaves the melodies of Blondie’s “Union City Blue” and Rihanna’s “S+M” together with the guitar sound of Cocteau Twins and arch foreign echoey baritone bleats reminiscent of your random Rough Trade rarity. Somehow, against all odds, it works. “Sleep” merges the aggression of Midnight Oil with the sombre self-reflectedness of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time.”

On “Jungle” they bring Fleet Foxes choruses to a riff circa “I Want Candy,” and like AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” mellowed out but bouncing off Slade’s “Runaway.” “Bradley” takes the minimalist atmosphere of Galaxie 500 and the simple shambling of a Nico-led Velvets’ ballad (i.e. “Femme Fatale”) but makes the song something somehow all Ganglians.

Still Living is a record for those hoping to discover that great lost demo from The Mighty Lemon Drops or a rare 7-inch single from The Pastels that no one has heard.

Kudos to Ganglians for going all over the modern musical map and still somehow creating a new terra firma, a nouveau Pangaea out of these disparate continents. If not that, then perhaps it’s at least a narrow land bridge across the modern indie pop scenes.

If there is a Sacramento scene, they’ve done a good job at being as un-Sacramento-like as possible (not that there’s anything wrong with Sacramento, of course). Judging by the first spin, Sacramento is probably the last place one would would look to find the origin of this record.

While the tracks tend to blend together after repeated listens, each is so charming that’s an easily forgivable offense.

How different this world would be today if Ganglians had landed on Gilligan’s Island instead of those pesky Mosquitoes.  Maybe they’ll have a guest slot performing when it relaunches as a reality show. After all, hasn’t everything been done before?  That might even be the ghost of the late Bob Denver clowning around under a white sheet in the middle of a forest on the cover.

Listeners are just lucky to have Still Living as the soundtrack to preparing their shoreline HELP! message lit up by the flames of so many indie record warehouses burning down.  At least until something truly new comes along.

 Ganglians – Still Living Tracklist:

1. “Drop The Act”
2. “That’s What I Want”
3. “Evil Weave”
4. “Sleep”
5. “Jungle”
6. “Bradley”
7. “Things To Know”
8. “Good Times”
9. “The Toad”
10. “California Cousins”
11. “Faster”
12. “My House”

“We’re rolling everybody. It starts with bass.”

The opening lyrics of “Ethiopia,” a moving ballad from the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ tenth studio album, I’m With You, could also sum up the current state of the band.

Coming off the grandiose double-disc Stadium Arcadium, the Chili Peppers had plans to make a more digestible 12-track rock record. It seemed they had fulfilled every fantasy on Stadium, mixing their signature funk with the more layered, melodic sound they’d been moving toward for years.

The record was especially a coming out party for guitarist John Fruscinate, who ditched his “less is more” approach for a full electric assault, unleashing solos with the same ferocity as his live performances. But after a grueling world tour Frusciante abandoned the idea of a band entirely, and once again walked out the door.

Enter Josh Klinghoffer: multi-instrumentalist, session musician, and friend and collaborator of Frusciante’s. Between 2004 and 2009 the pair teamed up to produce six of Frusciante’s solo albums in addition to starting the band Ataxia, which released two records of its own. Klinghoffer also toured with the Chili Peppers during the last leg of the Stadium Arcadium tour, contributing backup guitar, keyboards and vocals.

Make no mistake, this is a totally different band. Where Frusciante lets music pour from his body, crafting melody through emotion, Klinghoffer prefers to poke holes with a more technical, subtle style.

Losing Frusciante the second time around could have torn the band apart, but instead it turned them into a tighter unit, forcing each member to dig deep and find focus.

The result is the band’s most cohesive effort since 1999’s Californication. On previous records many songs were standouts, but they had a tendency to feel disconnected from one another. Here each song builds and transitions seamlessly, and the tracklist seems more structured and thought out.

A lot of that has to do with the continuous progression of frontman Anthony Kiedis. Vocally he has never sounded stronger, and lyrically he continues to delve into new territory. Kiedis also has more command over the song structure. In the past he would work his delivery around the instrumentation, but here he drives the direction of the songs, with tracks like “Ethiopia” and “Factory of Faith” hinging on his vocals.

With Frusciante out of the equation, bass and percussion propel the album. Always the glue and driving force, Flea attacks with renewed purpose, seeming revived in his role as bandleader and instigator.

Locked in the passenger seat is Chad Smith, who lays down his most hammering beats, creating powerful grooves and a flurry of funk. The band also enlisted a pair of percussionists for the live recording sessions to play bongos and cowbell and help conjure African tribal rhythms.

Klinghoffer proves to be a near-perfect replacement and is able to imitate many of the things Frusciante does best—complementary rhythms, falsetto vocals and chilling guitar solos—while adding his own intricate, textured style of playing. While he doesn’t have the same emotional gravity, solos on “Did I Let You Know” and “Goodbye Hooray” sound eerily like Frusciante, and his backing vocals, particularly on “Meet Me at the Corner,” really resonate.

I’m With You is by far the Chili Peppers’ most upbeat album. Where the focus used to be on addiction and loneliness, this record is all about love, spirituality, and the power of family. “Monarchy of Roses” starts the record off like a meandering monster. Flea’s bass is a bludgeon to the skull, pulsating between chopstick drums and distorted guitar. But it’s the album’s swan song that’s guaranteed to be a live staple. “Dance, Dance, Dance” does exactly what its title begs, as every instrument works in perfect harmony to make you want to boogie down.

Reinvention is nothing new for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and neither is skepticism. Instead of making what should have been their crowing jewel with Frusciante, the band was forced to make another statement record. But that isn’t such a bad thing. By having to prove themselves all over again, it feels like they’re only getting started.

Red Hot Chili Peppers – I’m With You Tracklist:

1. “Monarchy of Roses”
2. “Factory of Faith”
3. “Brendan’s Death Song”
4. “Ethiopia”
5. “Annie Wants a Baby”
6. “Look Around”
7. “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie”
8. “Did I Let You Know”
9. “Goodbye Hooray”
10. “Happiness Loves Company”
11. “Police Station”
12. “Even You  Brutus?”
13. “Meet Me at the Corner”
14. “Dance, Dance, Dance”

Something about the way The Weeknd’s lyrics spill onto the tracks creates a certain mood that can only been ambianced by a few talented men. It’s smooth and comfortable but it keeps listeners on their toes. It’s slow but it carries a steady, solid beat. The Weeknd might be one of those people that can obtain this difficult combination.

Quickly after playing through his latest release, Thursday, it’s quickly inferred that this dude could be Drake’s cousin. The Weeknd has the same edgy slow hip-hop style and swagger that R&B listeners connect with. It’s sexy and seductive. The moves can put anyone into a trance. It’s an aphrodisiac.

The Weeknd’s sound is much like Robin Thicke’s and Drake’s, sometimes Usher’s. Women fawn over the feeling it gets them in, and men give props to the man who can get them there.

That is, unless one takes into account the title track. “Thursday” is an unfortunate way of representing the entire album as a whole. As The Weeknd explains what he wants to happen on this particular day: “Not on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday but on Thursday, make sure you are thirsty.” This is repeated enough times to become bothersome, showcasing quickly how simple and undeveloped the track is. It’s easily forgiven, however, as we are reminded that it is all part of the broader story Thursday tells as a whole.

The idea we hear about is that each day has its own energy, and although the days all blend together sometimes, there’s potential for greatness every day of the week and every day of your life. Apparently this especially true on Thursdays and every other common party day, too. However peculiar and untraditional, this guy has a point.

Nevertheless, even at the right moment, just when you think the most entrancing song couldn’t gather any more glam power, Drake himself steps into “The Zone” to fill the scenery and complete the effect. His cool and charming spoken vocals deepen the motivation of the song. This whole tune revolves around the words “I’ll be making love to her through you,” which can be taken any way you please. Either way, there’s no denying the fascinating circumstance wherein.

The Weeknd was lucky enough to have been discovered by Drake and added to his OVO label. The two sound good together, and the pairing was smart. Together they created R&B gold. Though experimental and oftentimes out-of-the-ordinary, it’s fully entertaining to the ears and soothing to the mind.

The exciting element of the production is that Thursday doesn’t fall behind lyrically or emotionally. Song after song tells a story and paints a picture. There’s an obvious dark veil over many of the settings on the album. Very often does this get labeled as a heavy drag on the ears and the mind, but in this case, the tunes are relatable and catchy enough to be seen as something progressive.

Not only that, but when R&B songs carry these same types of beats, they tend to take the superficial route and wallow about sex and partying. Even though this set of tunes graces over a few the same topics, it’s done in a classy way. The sex he talks of is sensual and meaningful, and the partying with the people he loves.

Bringing some substantial songwork out of typically irreverent activity: The feat so many have tried but failed to do. Somehow The Weeknd pulls it off, and he does it with class.

The Weeknd – Thursday Tracklist:

1. “Lonely Star”
2. “Life Of The Party”
3. “Thursday”
4. “The Zone (feat. Drake)”
5. “The Birds Part 1”
6. “The Birds Part 2”
7. “Rolling Stone”
8. “Gone”
9. “Heaven Or Las Vegas”

Pavement fans may be disappointed that the group’s recent reunion didn’t result in a new album, but Stephen Malkmus’ latest release with the Jicks is almost certain to surprise and delight. It seems as though revisiting his old, now classic material has revitalized his writing. That isn’t to say its similarities to the glory days of old resulted directly from Pavement’s reunion—in fact, the Jicks entered the studio for this record even before the indie rock pioneers’ 2010 world tour—but it pointed more towards Malkmus’ readiness to reconcile with his past.

So with Mirror Traffic it’s back to basics, avoiding some of the pitfalls of the past few Jicks albums, namely refraining from over extending a jam and instead bringing Malkmus’ ever catchy melodies and intriguing lyrics to the foreground with clean production.

“Tigers” is a great, short opener with an excellent lead riff and some slide guitar flourishes. “No One Is (As I Are Be)” is the oddly titled second track that wouldn’t sound out of place on Beck’s Odelay. It’s got a nice, soft and lazy country rock feel to it. Delicate trumpet appears about halfway through, adding a nice touch as the band gets into a comfortable groove. “Senator” is bound to get a lot of attention not only for its catchiness but for its lyrics. Malkmus ascertains with cool assurance “I know what the senator wants/What the senator wants is a blowjob.” He finally concludes that what everyone really wants is a blowjob. Quite true. “Brain Gallop” and “Stick Figures in Love” let loose for a little feel-good jamming. If the Jicks didn’t have such a proclivity for jamming in their songs, these moments would shine even brighter.

The album is definitely front-loaded, but toward the back we have “Forever 28,” an endearingly sweet jangle pop number a la ELO with several rhythmic shifts and one particularly affecting guitar riff. “Gorgeous Georgie” is an excellent closer with nice dynamic shifts and an excellent extended solo in the middle.

Malkmus had clearly moved past Pavement years ago. Some may call this a maturing, but the maturity isn’t in the writing itself. There are still goofy songs and lyrics delivered in that memorable slacker sort of way. No, the maturity here is in knowing not to dwell on the past or use the name as leverage for success or an easy buck. The Jicks will never reach the level of fame and acclaim Pavement did, or even come close. Even though it’s impossible to write a review for them without name-dropping Pavement more than their own name, listeners owe it to these guys to appreciate what they are doing for what it is. And what it is, is pretty good, especially when compared to other Pavement offshoots like Spiral Stairs.

Mirror Traffic at its best is among the best stuff Malkmus has done since Pavement. At its worst, it’s just an average indie rock album with an iconic voice leading the way and somewhat unusual diversity. Even at its slightly excessive length, many of the tracks are just too catchy and pleasing to the ear to not enjoy. It’ll be a great record to enjoy as summer comes to a close.

Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – Mirror Traffic Tracklist:

1. “Tigers”
2. “No One Is (As I Are Be)”
3. “Senator”
4. “Brain Gallop”
5. “Jumblegloss”
6. “Asking Price”
7. “Stick Figures In Love”
8. “Spazz”
9. “Long Hard Book”
10. “Share The Red”
11. “Tune Grief”
12. “Forever 28”
13. “All Over Gently”
14. “Fall Away”
15. “Gorgeous Georgie”

Are You Gonna Eat That? feels like a night of getting baked in the basement with friends, and then deciding to make a hip-hop album, which might be the best result of that kind of night. It has all the wit, the camaraderie and competitive spirit that makes basement raps so entertaining. Only it wasn’t made in a basement and the names here are a far cry from inexperienced. On the occasion of their debut, most critics feel safe in calling Hail Mary Mallon a “supergroup.”

In all fairness, “supergroup” is one of those terms thrown around a little too much. Everyone from The Avengers to Ford & Lopatin fall under the label without anyone bothering to question why. The consensus seems to be that if a few notable members from existing bands combine their powers (no matter how abysmal the end result) becomes a musical wonder. Yet in an era of side projects, solo efforts, dropouts and rejoining—it’s not really fair to say. Formerly, true supergroups were mergers of legends, people already renowned and revered in popular culture.

In that sense, Hail Mary Mallon isn’t that—their biggest hero, Aesop Rock, is a niche reference even among rap aficionados, Rob Sonic even deeper and while DJ Big Wiz is a name-brand spinner, well, name five spinners. They actually belong to the burgeoning field of hip-hop duos. It takes one song for Are You Gonna Eat That? to establish its sound and style. “Church Pants” melds dark, uptempo grooving with high-gravity lyricism. In case you were content to let Mallon roll off your ears as playful, stoner rap, the opener begs to differ. The wordplay rarely falls off from that point on, though the album is too often abstract and obscurely referential in a way that can lose listeners.

The lyricism is mind-bending, that is, when you can catch it. It exists for the most part in a distorted blur of unfettered punches—it’s easy to fall several steps behind. It might be forgivable by the pithy rhythm and intensity at which the words hit.

The synth-rock “Smock” touts slow, filtered drums and astounding tradeoff verbiage between Rob Sonic and Aesop Rock. In one of its skits, an anonymous man calls a woman, asking what she’s watching on television—she doesn’t know. It’s just the sort of preachy wake-up call the album is filled with. “Smock” is the bait of a one-two which thrashes home with “The Poconos”—classically aligned in its sampling, metal riff and cymbal sound, the piece is lent a boom-bap feel perfect for the fire spat over it.

The album climaxes toward the early middle, takes a tumble, then fades into unphenomenality. Strangely, the auspicious start of Are You Gonna Eat That? burns out by “Table Talk,” (albeit one of Aesop’s hottest tracks to date) and mellows by the last few tracks.

Hail Mary Mallon seems to have devoured all the consumerism and information overload of the modern age and projectile vomited it all out with Are You Gonna Eat That? Independent rappers should strive to make a gem-laden album. However, the thing taken as a whole is inconsistent, tangential and at times too muddled to be taken as anything more than self-indulgent showmanship.

Hail Mary Mallon Are You Gonna Eat That? Tracklist:

1. “Church Pants”
2. “Garfield”
3. “Grubstake”
4. “Meter Feeder”
5. “Smock”
6. “The Poconos”
7. “Breakdance Beach”
8. “Table Talk”
9. “Mailbox Baseball”
10. “Holy Driver”
11. “Knievel”
12. “Plagues and Bacon”

Under the biography on the band’s Twitter page, Fair Ohs describe themselves as “like Paul Simon but… you know… punk.” Right. Part Simon & Garfunkel, part Ramones. Like part folk rock, part rebellious rock. It can be concluded that this description might be best taken as a joke. Neither are good comparisons for the band at all.

The sound on Fair Ohs’ new album Everything Is Dancing is one of a kind. It’s very current in the way that it sounds like the release from Wavves, that happened just a year ago. The noise is both foreign and familiar: A fun electric guitar picking sound with an Arabian twist on it. Not only is the music interesting but it’s eclectic. We don’t often get a taste of tunes like this.

It’s easy to see this album to serving as a good jam to enjoy while driving to work, when they put makeup on or as they go for a jog. The beats are fast and lively, never ceasing to pick up steam to reach the climax of every track. It makes for a mood where everything is progressive and constantly moving toward something great.

The songs work together greatly as a group. As an album, it follows the same energy from start to finish. Everything Is Dancing carries the same groove even when it slows; it just trades the pace for excitement, which is totally okay. “Baldessari” works well as an opener just as “Summer Lake” serves as the perfect final touch to a fascinating set. It’s just what becomes caught in the middle that brings down the cool qualities of Fair Ohs’ work.

The problem with every song following the same style is, at the end of the album, it leaves the listener craving something more. Everything Is Dancing is a straight 35-minute set of a lot of the same tunes set in different keys with different pitches.

Much of it could use a lift and a dash of fresh energy. The recycling of sounds, though unique, would become old if the record were listened to in repetition.

In the future, Fair Ohs might want to focus on sounding more professional. This record barely makes it as an effort taken seriously, especially as a new act, but many of the drum beats and background mixes on Everything Is Dancing are so alike that it’s easy to tell the difference in quality between them. Obviously the band didn’t create their songs using GarageBand, but sometimes it feels like they could’ve tried to get away with that in the background of some tracks.

Beachy tunes like this are always fun. It’s like a trip for the mind or a vacation for the ears. Maybe it’ll bring every person to their very own happy place. Perhaps the  simplicity in the work of Fair Ohs will bring them a solid liftoff point. The connection people make with this flow of music could really take them there or it could wallow and stay on the ground.

Fair Ohs – Everything Is Dancing Tracklist:

1. “Baldessari”
2. “Eden Rock”
3. “Colours’
4. “Yah”
5. “Almost Island”
6. “Everything Is Dancing”
7. “Helio”
8. “Katasraj”
9. “Marie”
10. “Summer Lake”

With Wicked Will, The Ettes get back to basics. Foregoing the expansion on their previous record, Do You Want Power, the group sticks to their garage punk revival sound. Musically, the Los Angeles trio can be likened to The Stooges and The Rolling Stones, with melodies that come across as a dark version of AM pop tunes. It doesn’t help that the group was a couple years late to the party, behind the surge of garage revival bands who got all of the attention. Nevertheless, The Ettes continue serve up their sound with confidence and grit and Wicked Will is a solid addition to their catalogue.

“Teeth,” a seething acoustic track, opens the album. Heaps of reverb and meticulous production give the piece a creepy, quiet menace as Lindsay “Coco” Hames asserts, “Every time you smile I can tell you’re just showing your teeth.” An ominous cloud looms over the song. There’s definitely a storm brewing.

And it’s not long before that storm strikes. “Excuse” is an angry, energetic number ushering in a fast-paced, raw and raging album. Fuzz bass and pounding drums drive the songs, riding on the same plane as Coco’s guitar, often drenched in vintage effects. Her vocals are assured and confrontational.

She has a lot of statements to make, and her tone makes that very clear.

And so do the track titles, among them “You Never Say,” “Trouble with You” and “Don’t Bring Me Down,” though it’s not always quite as it seems. In the latter, for instance, Coco wants some hot lovin’, singing “I’m pretty sure you got what I need, boy. Don’t bring me down.” But she’s more than just pretty sure, and she’s not going to be brought down. The album carries that sort of attitude through its brisk run of 13 songs in just more than 30 minutes.

Liam Watson deserves some extra credit for his production work on this album. He only does what he needs to and nothing else. The kind of production that doesn’t make itself obvious. He gives the group an accurate old school tone with some seriously creepy reverb, often making Coco’s vocals sound sinister and more demanding of the listener’s attention, especially to whom the lyrics are directed.

Karen O and Nick Zinner have taken garage punk/rock revival thing to a whole other level with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs—and they did it almost 10 years ago. Fever to Tell renders Wicked Will kind of tame and boring. But those interested in a simpler take with throwback qualities will find The Ettes’ latest right up their alley.

The Ettes – Wicked Will Tracklist:

1. “Teeth”
2. “Excuse”
3. “The Pendulum”
4. “You Were There”
5. “My Heart”
6. “You Never Say”
7. “One By One”
8. “Trouble With You”
9. “Don’t Bring Me Down”
10. “Stay Where You Are”
11. “I Stayed Too Late”
12. “My Baby Cried All Night Long”
13. “Worst There Is”