As fun as it is to complain about “music these days,” and how it’s all been downhill since The Chronic came out, it’s even MORE fun to listen to — wait for it — good music. Every Tuesday, a.k.a. Music Release Day, we’ll highlight five albums worth (legally) downloading or driving to the local Best Buy (lolz) for.
Today, we’ve got albums from Animal Collective, Sun Power, and more.
Sun by Cat Power
Chan Marshall sneaks out of the darkness of the last six (original) album-less six years, into the beat-heavy Sun, exploring sounds (loops, drum machines, synths, etc.) and guest stars (Iggy Pop?) that she hasn’t dabbled in before. A much-welcomed return.
Centipede Hz by Animal Collective
A step back from the achievement of Merriweather Post Pavilion, and a leap back from that album’s mainstream accessibility, Centipede Hz is downright abrasive in its rhythm-heavy spaz-pop, with an increase of pulsating tracks from Avey Tare, who yowls and shouts more than sings. Put another way: if you don’t like Animal Collective, this album’s not going to win you over. But if you do, you’ll love its sonic assault on the senses.
Silver Age by Bob Mould
The old pro, showing the kiddies how to not only f*cking rock, but also f*cking rock…while keeping the melody.
The Vaccines Come of Age by the Vaccines
Spunky, raw pop-punk tunes from the British It band who were barely in grade school when Bandwagonesque was released.
North by Matchbox Twenty
OK, fine, they were my first favorite band (I proverbially wore out Yourself or Someone Like You and bought both Mad Season and More Than You Think You Are the day they came out), so chalk the following statement up to nostalgia: MATCHBOX [20] IS THE GREATEST BAND OF ALL-TIME AND I HOPE THEY TOUR WITH COUNTING CROWS AND EVE 6 AND NOT THOSE JERKS FROM THIRD EYE BLIND AND THEN WE’LL GO SEE BLINK-182 ON THE VANS WARPED TOUR WHILE DRINKING SURGE.
*Coughs* But seriously, “She’s So Mean” is annoyingly catchy and I maybe once wrote a school assignment poem about Matchbox. Maybe…
