Get Your Fix: Album Reviews by the CoolJunkie Staff

March 19, 2008 6:45 PM
by CJ Staff [email]

Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward
by: Marcos Colon

In 2005 the release of Be Your Own Pet’s self-titled album created buzz for the young quartet from Nashville. Each track, none passing three and a half minutes, came equipped with punchy lyrics, thrashing punk riffs and Jemina Pearl’s howls of teenage angst. The success of their first album made a name for the band and had everyone expecting more in their next release.
Back with even more energy and even quicker lyrics, the rag tag bunch returns with their second effort Get Awkward. Every aspect of the band, from Jonas Stein’s guitar riffs to Pearl’s bantering wail, has been fine-tuned. Tracks like Heart Throb, Food Fight and The Beast Within have the similar raw edgy sound as their first effort, only now an element of experience has been included in the equation. The title track on the album is without a doubt Super Soaked, the first song on Get Awkward that has Pearl shrieking (“Drug runs and beer busts it’s all I know/I don’t wanna grow up and have to let go). Although it’s a bit of a curse to have your first track be the best, the rest of the album definitely carries its own. This album is what the band needed to hurl their reputation and music to the next level.

Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple
by: Marcos Colon

Grammy award winning eclectic duo Gnarls Barkley return for their highly anticipated second album The Odd Couple. The adjective in the title may attribute to some of the tracks on the new effort, especially on Open Book and Blind Mary. The funk from St. Elsewhere is definitely lacking, but luckily the album still rises to the surface with clap happy rhythms that have Cee-Lo wailing.
Genre bending is once again in full force on No Time Soon as the folky acoustic intro of the track later transforms into a hip hop space groove á la MF Doom. Run (I’m a Natural Disaster), the title track of the album and most likely to be the most radio friendly, mimics their previous effort’s Go Go Gadget Gospel, with its speedy tempo and catchy hook that has Cee-Lo screaming (“Run away/Run children/Run for your life”). There’s no telling at the moment if this album will garner the same attention and curious ear that their initial album obtained. One thing’s for sure, this album should not be seen as the next big thing, but rather as a standstill for the duo. All in all, old fans may find a few gems on The Odd Couple, but new listeners should just stick to St. Elsewhere for the meantime.

Andrew Bird - Soldier On EP
by: chipi

Andrew Bird is one of a handful of great bands and musicians that has yet to disappoint me. It seems that at some point along the line, people sell out, get tired or follow a formula. Thus is not the case with the gifted Windy City poly-instrumentalist. Although in all fairness, I suppose it's a little difficult to become repetitive when everything you touch turns to music. Bird continues to meander along the path of musical greatness with Soldier On, an EP including out-takes, remixed and early versions of fan favorites and even a cover of Bob Dylan's "Oh, Sister".

While it's obvious that my love affair with Bird is in full swing, you can fall for yourself when you tune into the newly remixed "Plasticities". The song is of a faster pace than it's original counterpart but Bird has fleshed the song out with fuller details, including amplification of the triangle, snare and toms and the addition of an electric guitar track.

The EP closes with Bird's cover of Bob Dylan's "Oh Sister". Bird's playful whistling open up the track and rather than struggle to mimic Dylan's unique vocal stylings, Bird turns the song into a playground to stretch his classic folk legs in. The result is a whimsical and reverent spin that updates the song without losing relevance.

Groove Armada - Soundboy Rock
by: chipi

The house that funk built has been quarantined. It's been five years since Lovebox and in that time Tom Findlay and Andy Cato seem to have lost their groove. While the albums list of collaborators is full of heavy hitters like Simon Lord, Mark Ronson and Mutya Buena, the musical spectrum is too broad on this release and ultimately leads to the desire to tune out. With 15 tracks on this release, it seems like Groove Armada became too ambitious for it's own good.

The album does have its redeeming moments. "The Things That We Could Share" recalls early eighties funk pop but feels more synthetic. Simon Lord's understated vocals save the song from falling irrelevance and give it a fun dance floor feel. The albums title track is another wave length entirely, mellowing the album out to a slow reggae sway.

All in all, this album stands as a demonstration of Groove Armada's versatility, rather than a testament to their ability to build a smooth compilation.

Raffa and Rainer - Stolen Coal
by: chipi

When asked to describe their sound, Raffa Jo Harris comes up with one all encompassing phrase: Sweet la-la. I'm not sure how well this term spells out the gist of Stolen Coal, but allow me to attempt to elaborate.

Raffa and Rainer are subtle genre benders. They ascribe to a certain brand of vagabond folk updated by witty and comfortable songwriting. Somehow, in all of this mellow melancholy, songs like "Preventative Heartache" and "Unbearable Sadness" are ironically the most danceable on the disc. Rainer Davies supplies that essential blues feel with his slick guitar and free form picking style. Raffa Jo's quirky and honest vocals have long been praised in these parts and there are rare sounds in the world more lovely than that of her cursing in her daydream style sing-song tone.

The only protest one might have against Stolen Coal is that it could use a little elaboration on the production side. In all honesty though, the raw feeling of the recordings and the unfiltered sound of this duo helps more than it hurts.

Pick up your copy of Stolen Coal at Sweat Records or on any Wednesday night at Churchill's at Raffa and Rainer's "Can You Rock A Little Softer?".