The Shins - Port Of Morrow

I know I'm a day late, but I've been listening to this album for a week or so now and I've been meaning to get this post done. A mix of busy and lazy. Get off my back, alright.

Being released on singer James Mercer's own label, Aural Apothecar, Port Of Morrow features Jessica Dobson, Richard Swift, Modest Mouse drummer Joe Plummer, and Yuuki Matthews from the Crystal Skulls as the all new line-up.

The album is healthy mixture of space age ambiance coupled with articulate guitar work and a keen awareness of the art of song writing.

Initial thoughts:

- I didn't know Weezer had an older brother
- Movin/groovin

The opening track The Rifle's Spiral kicks the album off with a mellow but faster paced song reminiscent of the hustle and bustle of the downtown core with an introspective appeal. Next on the docket comes the the first single Simple Song. Contrary to the title the song isn't quite as simple as I was led to believe. It has a few layers to it and offers more than just a simple song.

Pointing out the better songs on this album comes down to personal taste. September is mine. Why you ask? The lyrics are great. It reminds me of Radiohead's Bends album with the rock simplicity of anything by Nirvana.

40 Mark Strasse is a big standout. I envision a small country house with a breakfast nook. The table has one of those red checkerboard table cloths. As a warm breeze flows in the open windows, the drapes wave whimsically brushing my freshly shaven cheek bones. Pretty much the perfect scenario. Minus the fresh shave. Beards work.

As a whole the album flows and speaks as an entire unit. The diversity between tracks makes it an easy listening album front to back. The articulate approach to Mercer's song writing is a fresh breath of air in a pop infused music industry. If you like Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds this is a must have.

DIG IT (hard)

Official music video for Simple Song. Enjoy!

Say Anything - Anarchy, My Dear

Back in my teen years I went to an Anti-Flag (who also have an album coming out this month) show at the Phoenix opening for them were Rise Against, and Say Anything. I thought they were lame.

They release their fifth full length album today. Yes, you heard correctly, this very day. Since that faithful day at the Phoenix I wrote this band off. Completely. I'm sure the extensive list of former members just might agree with me.

BUT

They're back with another one and to say the least, it's an album.

Initial thoughts:
- sigh
- sounds like highschool kids
- I hated this shit in highschool
- if I close my eyes all I see is kids with hair swooped down one eye, wearing neon everything, while they try on their little sisters tightest pair of jeans...

Singer Max Bemis has been the heart and soul of the group since it began. He sounds like a very clever guy. Extremely creative style of writing with a keen sense of imagery but a evident lack of conviction. It's almost like their music is filled with social criticisms but offer no real direction for their angst. Other than screw uptight aristocrat types. But yeah, we know that already.

Rebels without a cause.

The best example I can find for this is in the opening track Burn A Miracle where the lyrics suggest he (Bemis) is some kind of social anomaly that thinks outside the box while everyone else in the world acts like sheep (which is also the name of a song on the album). The words, "burn America if you've got a soul," are shouted as words to follow. Kind of a wishy-washy way of making a statement. With all that being said I did enjoy the first half this song. Less than stoked on the rest.

Some of the songs really do have a lot of clever lines and make me grin but getting over the juvenile approach is the battle of listening to this band. Maybe that's their hook. Who knows. But with a more prolific message, other than 'fuck the world because that's why', these guys could really make some better music. The best song, by far, on the album is Peace Out. A real mellow song about breaking up with a stupid girl. It has some really poetic lyrics and I'm kind of a sucker for ballads.

The artistry is evident in the album's guitar work. At times it's very in your face, while others it's off in the cosmos. I appreciated the effort, if there was any, to mix it up. The production value is also top notch. Everything is clear and mixed very well. No complaints on the technical side of things.

Also, the title track Anarchy, My Dear personifies the idea of anarchy in a love song. Bemis explains how he longs to meet his mistress that is anarchy. But having abandoned my own believe in a more flawed system, or non-system, than any other that is in effect today, this song seems to be excessively ignorant and, word of the day, juvenile.

Needs to grow up a bit but definitely head bob worthy.

DIG IT but it can be STALE at times

My favorite song from the album...enjoy? Maybe not, who cares.



and opening track

Paris Hilton's new(ish) video

So I've just become aware of Paris Hilton's new video...It's kind of old news on the releases side of things but I felt I needed to share my thoughts.

Strap yourself in for this one. It's called Drunk Texts and for those who have already seen this, well good for you. But I, fortunately, am not plugged into a constant stream of celebrity embarrassments so today was my first viewing.

I haven't really been following Paris' music as of late but if I can base an opinion on well music in general, without being too offensive, what...the...fuuuck? I know your life of partying, drinking, saying "that's hot", taking credit for products other people worked on, and making videos about how lame you are to have sex with can be really hard and demanding. But couldn't you think of something better to write a "song" about? Like how much money you have or the amount of designer clothes you own? Kanye West's Graduation album was all about bragging and it seemed to work out for him.

This piece of musical diarrhea comes to us from the Manufactured Superstars. Never heard of them. Maybe that makes me lame but after looking at their website and checking out a couple songs, I've had enough. Maybe I'm just not in tune with electronic music. Who cares.

*I pause for a moment to think about what I just watched

This baffles me.

You could have paid someone to make a catchy house beat than auto tune the shit out of your voice. That might have been enough to make it on the charts.

But no.

You chose to have a generic beat that a fifth grader could have made in garage band to accompany your William Shatner, sorry Bill, style jibber jabber about how you took a picture of someone's vagina on the dance floor and sent it to a some guy who recognized it immediately, who then sent it to the girl of said vagina, who theeen spotted you on the dancefloor came up to you and slapped you in the face and this whole endeavor, along with other riveting tales, is the reason why you don't drink and text...if I missed a serious plot point or anything I'm sorry.

Honestly, I have nothing else to say about this. See for yourself. And no, I don't follow Perez Hilton..it's just the only place that had this video.

Enjoy!

STALE!