Get Your Fix: Album Reviews by the CoolJunkie Staff

May 1, 2008 12:30 PM
by chipi [email]

Portishead - Third
by: Marcos Colón

It seems like the latest trend for bands these days are reuniting after a hiatus or even a break-up. Group’s like The Verve and My Bloody Valentine have gotten back together, making headline appearances at Coachella and Roskilde. Recently, another sleeping giant has kicked things up again with their third and most anticipated album.

British trip-hop rockers, Portishead, have come back together after finishing up their third album appropriately titled, Third. On this effort, the mood is still set at the darkest depths imaginable as Beth Gibbons smooth bluesy vocals combined with the instrumental work from Geoff Barrow and Adrian Utley make for a scary journey into a black heart of emotion. On the bands single, Machine Gun, the drum machine is turned into a rapid-fire tool of beats that make for an actual machine gun as Gibbons sings [Recognize the poison in my heart/There is no other place, no one else I face].

Not all tracks on the album seem like intros to a Hitchcock film. On Deep Water, the ukelele gets things going in a Jack Johnson kind of way, but coupled with backing vocals á la barbershop quartet it makes for a surprisingly relaxing track. But that isn’t enough to balance things out of the dark and twisted sound that everyone loves and expects.

The release of this album will not only please fans that have stuck around since 1991, but once again catch the years of those who may have never caught on because of their hiatus from 1999 to 2005. Third is a heavy dose of beautifully crafted music and Beth Gibbons truly delivers an emotional punch in the chest.

Dimitri from Paris - Return to the Playboy Mansion
by: Aubrey Ford

French house guru Dimitri from Paris’ third disco-fueled installment of his Playboy Mansion series, Return to the Playboy Mansion, is a two-part DJ mix of vintage sounds from the 60s and 70s with artists ranging from Jamiroquai to Barry White. The first disc, titled Partytime, plays like a typical dance party, and exhibits Dimitri’s exceptional mastery of disco house music. This sound is uplifting, exuberant, and has a constant bass-driven groove that keeps the energy high at all times. The second disc is comically entitled Sexytime and is more geared for the bedroom than for the dancefloor. This disc is filled with 70’s soul from the likes of Marvin Gaye and Teddy Pendergrass.

Not enough can be said about Dimitri’s ability to find arcane disco tracks and mix them perfectly into a high energy house set that transports the listener to a 1970s roller-disco party, or the like. On the other hand, it must be noted that this album is completely impossible to take seriously. This is especially true for the second disc, as the effect of playing tracks like Barry White in an attempt to set a romantic mood is likely to have a more humorous that sensual effect for any couple under the age of 40 (thanks, in part, to South Park).

The omnipresent vocals on the first disc are similarly tacky, and at times get in the way of the grooves behind them, however the album is occasionally able to redeem itself by coming across as tongue-in-cheek. Despite this, Return to Playboy Mansion is a must for any French or disco house lover, as Dimitri has an undeniable aptitude for exploiting house music’s ability to lift the spirits and invoke a mood of genuine positivity.

Madonna - Hard Candy
by: chipi

Over the years Madonna has shaped, molded and re-made practically every musical genre, constantly venturing into uncharted waters. On Hard Candy, while the Queen of Pop certainly enters new musical territory, the result is a satisfying rehash of the sound of the times, rather than a groundbreaking effort.

Always working with the best in production, it seems Madonna jumped on the Timbaland/Neptunes bandwagon a little late. The album is consistent and versatile - an instant dance party, but at times feels all too familiar. It's a sound you've heard before, just not from Lady M. Stand out tracks include Give it 2 Me complete with synthy-disco cow bell samples to get you to swaying and "Beat Goes On" a Kanye and Pharell collaboration.

All told, the album doesn't suffer from poor production or lack of talent, but rather starves for ingenuity. Expect remixes by Tracey Young, Paul Oakenfold and Junkie XL to invade a dance floor near you.

The Presets - Apocalypso
by: Aubrey Ford

The Presets’ new album Apocalypso stands as the least retro among the sudden deluge of releases from Australian electro bands. It is a well constructed and aptly titled vision of post-apocalyptic nihilism, yet is not able to surpass the recently released work of compatriots like Cut Copy or The Midnight Juggernauts. On this album, The Presets stick to their usual formula of gritty synths and driving beats at the onset with tracks like Kicking and Screaming, and My People, the latter of which is sure to be a formidable opener for their live show.

As the album progresses, however, the music wanders further and further from their typical sound to an arguably fruitless end. The major conceptual jump occurs after the staple pop song of the album This Boy’s in Love, a wonderful, sweeping, starry-eyed ballad. The following two tracks mark a failed attempt at, well, something roughly 80s inspired and involving some really annoying speak-singing in Yippiyo-ay. After the preceeding mess of unsuccessful attempts on expanding the band’s palette, Together brings the listener gratefully back home to their viciously pounding trademark sound.

Apocalypso is essentially a hodgepodge of good and bad. When the Presets stick to their formula, they deliver undeniably potent electro, however, their multiple attempts at expanding their sound simply aren’t going anywhere. In the end, the album remains a highly recommended, albeit wary, buy.

Father Bloopy - Ginger, Baby
by: chipi

Self-proclaimed Miami Beach homeboy Roger Houdaille and fellow musical clique Father Bloopy encompass the melting pot that is SoBe with a running thread of indie-rock sensibility. While marrying genres like psychedelic rock and reggaeton. Father Bloopy never takes itself too seriously on Ginger, Baby and keeps production inventive. It simultaneously recalls Weezer in their glory days and at times contemporaries such as the Kinks and the Shins.

The title track, Ginger, Baby sticks the hardest with it's infectious melody and witty lyrical construction. Florida No Fault shares a similar vibe, edging a little closer to the college rock sound. The album picks up the tempo a bit with the smart-pop tune Hot Down, a hop-around, up all night, if somewhat satiric party anthem.

Father Bloopy accomplishes the feat of mainstream accessibility without sacrificing musical integrity. Their deeply layered and textured sound keeps them relevant and gives hope for future creative releases.