Get Your Fix: Album Reviews by the CoolJunkie Staff

April 23, 2008 2:54 PM
by Marcos Colón [email]

Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords
by: Marcos Colón

Flight of the Conchords, the quirky duo that brought everyone laughs last summer, is back again with their first full-length self-titled album. The talented New Zealanders’ new effort packs an instrumental punch as well as clever and amusing word play. The album’s opening track, Foux Du Fafa, expresses the…French side of the group as they sing along to bohemian strumming in their best French accents? The entire track is indeed in French, but nothing’s really being communicated only simple sentences that any Intro to French student could clearly understand.

Skimming through the titles of the 15 tracks you can’t but be familiar with the names, since the majority of the songs have already been previewed on the first season of their hit HBO series. Everyone’s favorite tunes from the show are on Flight of The Conchords, including Inner City Pressure, Leggy Blonde and the first song off of episode one, The Most Beautiful Girl in the Room, the famous track that has the boys crooning [Your so beautiful/You could be a part…time…model]. Not to mention the cameo appearance of Hiphopopotamus and Rhymenoceros on the album. Those guys spit fire!

Although each and every track will have listeners smiling, don’t let the comedy fool you, these guys are good musicians and tell a story with each song. Each track definitely carries the rhythm and will get feet tapping as they shift from tunes that carry melodic drama to cacophonous and danceable beats.

The album is truly a success for the duo and will be keeping fans waiting in anticipation for the next season of the show, and even for the next onslaught of songs.

Midnight Juggernauts - Dystopia
by: Aubrey Ford

If Dracula was a modern day Australian hipster, this is the kind of dance party he would throw. With Dystopia, The Midnight Juggernauts bring forth a number of both new and familiar sounds into the electro soundscape. Although the album has been out for almost a year elsewhere, its American release is appropriately timed with Cut Copy’s New Order reminiscent In Ghost Colours, as the Juggernauts’ album recalls a similar yet much darker, more Depeche Mode-ish, take on New Wave revival aesthetics. With regards to its modern influences, the album is, at times, a blatant replica of the organic electronic sounds of Daft Punk and Justice. Despite this, if you are interested in seeing a new take on their ideas, with a fascinating twist, then this album is a must. Justice does, after all, condone their mild plagiarism, as they invited the Juggernauts on tour with them in 2007.

Dystopia creates a captivating atmosphere by combining ominous, eerie, Phantom of the Opera reminiscent synth organs with the gritty electro dance stylings of Ed Banger. There is also a major revival of the 80s here, as is evident both in the production and the fact that the singer apparently learned to sing while listening to either Peter Murphy or David Gahan. A commendable replication of Gahan’s sinister crooning can be heard on the verses of Into the Galaxy which smoothly transitions into a catchy falsetto chorus. A pounding, distorted Justice style bass drives Tombstone and Road to a Recovery, the most dancey song on the album. There are countless other masterpieces on this album, including the (albeit somewhat overrated) crowd favorite Shadows. With Dystopia, The Midnight Juggernauts contribute strange, yet spellbinding new elements to the efforts of electronic-rock crossover artists.

Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell
by: chipi

Tokyo Police Club creeped into your indie rock radio with the release of their first EP. Now with Saddle Creek behind them these Canadian boys are bringing love in the form of Elephant Shell to your MTV screens. These guys have certainly earned their stripes in their latest effort, displaying a diversity and depth that lacked in some tracks of their EP.
Stand-out examples include "Tessellate", a power indie pop ballad complete with hand-clap samples and catchy hook. "Your English is Good" drives hard and kicks up the energy level, serving up a few full chorus shout lines and a heavy percussion loop.
As an initial full length effort, Tokyo Police Club swings us an easy listen, easy party record with substantial content and the promise of more good work to come.

Vic Kingsley - These Frequencies
by: chipi

The Kingsley boys are a product of the 305 scene's strong musical center: the University of Miami. The release of These Frequencies marks another high point in a year that's included their sponsorship with Gibson and a slew of landmark performances opening for major acts.
While their live performance has remained consistently impressive since their inception, Kingsley has expanded their breadth and musical range and displays it in full force. Their soft alternative rock sound recalls Mae's first release and feels a little fuller than the typical college rock that you're usually bombarded with. A good album to slow down for the night with, pick up Kingsley's These Frequencies this week at their Gibson Showroom release party.