Eisley, Rilo Kiley, Stars, Blonde Redhead, Tegan and Sara: New Albums!

Okay, so I haven't done a music review in awhile, so here we go. A comprehensive review of five albums/artists I have recently sampled and their current-ish releases.

EISLEY: "Combinations"
****

I really love this album. I was a little disappointed that there are only 10 songs, but the quality of the songs makes up for the quantity. While they are moving a little into the mainstream sound, Eisley still manages to retain their trademarks: ethereal vocals with harmony in 4ths and 5ths and beautifully poetic lyrics. Also they're not singing about loving trees so much as well, boys. We hope.

"Many Funerals" and especially "Invasion" seem to have been manufactured to be mainstream hits and won't have the longevity for me that my favorites, listed below, will. Tracks 1 and 2 are like "Telescope Eyes," take two. I still don't like that song. That was the song they used to get on the radio, if they ever did. "Room Noises" was all about "Brightly Wound" and "Trolley Wood."

Favorite Songs:

"I Could Be There For You" and "Combinations" are really just beautiful.

"Come Clean" Those girls are really vocally talented. They do this thing where they switches ranges mid-note and it's really hard to do. Supposedly. "Mister, I don't believe in you..."

"Ten Cent Blues" really grew on me as I listened to it enough to appreciate the lyrics and, sadly, how greatly I identify with them. It's about feeling inadequate in comparison to another girl; the "competition." Right up my alley, baby. It's made funny, though, slightly self-deprecating and not emo at all. The attitude I often have. The beginning is wonderful: "Dear orthodox, I can't control my feelings..."

RILO KILEY: "Under the Blacklight"
***
Never considered them up there in my favorites until I saw them live. Encroyable. Jenny Lewis is a vocal wonder, and inspired my friend to get bangs, when my beauteous fringe didn't quite convince her. I read the Nylon article about them, and it was totally cute. Their new album is a lot more adventurous than some of their older stuff. "The Moneymaker" was really wonderful live. It's very Yeah Yeah Yeahs, in contrast to the pleasantly folksy "Silver Lining." I love how there's so much diversity in their album. No two songs sounds like variations of each other; they experimented with style to keep things fresh and varied. Definitely not sitting in the rut of similar-sounding indie rock. A.

STARS: "In Our Bedroom After the War"
**
I love Stars. Love them. Didn't really at first, but then I heard "Calendar Girl," which has brought me to tears and joy, and began to associate them with their quebeçoise compadres (haha i just mixed languages) Metric (top 3 fave bands) and pretty much fell in love. "Elevator Love Letter" is absolutely incredible. Subtle, deliberate, poetic, and just plain sexy. I'm an addict.

But their new album does not live up to "Set Yourself On Fire" (2005). I have listened to the whole thing, yes. It's on myspace. Yeah. The only really good song that would be worth paying money for is "The Night Starts Here." Lovely blended vocals, dramatic, deep poetry, and definitely in keeping with the Stars style. But other than that song, which is conveniently the 2nd track, sparing you from listening to the rest of the album, it's a little dry. Maybe I just didn't give the album enough of a chance, but I stopped the play of at least two songs "Personal" (is that an allusion to Fergie?) and "Barricade" because I hated them that much. Not a good sign.

BLONDE REDHEAD: "23"
***
I know this album came out in freaking April and I'm way behind the times, but I just now got my hands on it. I also haven't really listened to the entire album, so I probably shouldn't be "reviewing" it, but what the heck. I love the three songs I've listened to, does that count for something? "23," the title track is wonderfully ethereal and soothing, but you can still blast it driving fast. Yes, I've tried it. "Silently" and "Spring and Summer" follow in a similar vein; like a dreamier, female-headed Interpol (anybody else hate that new "West Coast.." song?) but mix it up with more intelligible vocals and an occasional vocal offering from one of the boys. A+

P.S. I'm not ashamed about my Hills post, no matter what Harper said. I was way bored at work, came across it, watched it, and grew more engrossed as I thought about Klosterman's anaylsis of pop culture in reference to my findings. I'm going to stop now.

TEGAN AND SARA: "The Con"
***

Most of these songs are under 2 minutes, but it doesn't matter. They're not rushing through it, they just keep things...concentrated. "Back In Your Head" is hands down the best song on the album. Addictive, fast-paced, and cathartic with their signature unique voices. "Hop a Plane" follows in a similar vein, pumping out glossy, desperate chords and pleadings: "All I want to hear is that you're not mine, you're not mine..." "Soil, Soil" takes things down for a short time (1:25), letting us take a breather. It almost seems like a segue from "Hop A Plane." The order of the songs on this album is very deliberate; it almost seems to blend from one song to the next, (not like Madonna's latest album, though) like paragraphs in a letter.