Fourth of July is, without a doubt, my favorite holiday. Firstly, because it’s not religiously affiliated. Secondly, because it generally involves some combination of the following three items: fire, grilling meat and alcohol. All in the name of patriotism. I’m not sure how our fourth of July traditions evolved to include these potentially disastrous things together, but I’m thankful they did.

However, there are few songs that connect with the holiday for me. Sure, there are all the patriotic anthems if you want to get stereotypical. There’s really only one song that reminds me of a particular fourth of July.

While I was still summering at home on the West Coast, it was something of tradition to go out to the cabin of some family friends on Harstine Island, which is in Puget Sound. It’s right on the water, so it cools off at night, and it’s far from any big cities, so it gets really dark. Because it’s so quiet and woodsy, everyone is shooing off fireworks. You can stand on the shore and be surrounded by bright, colorful lights in every direction — including an Indian reservation. They always delivered. Big time.

I was more or less left to my own thoughts at these holidays, and often I’d clear my mind of everything associated with my life in the cities, my life in New York, my life in Seattle, and just spend hours using as many senses as possible.  Watching the water roll in waves, skimming my hand on top of soft, pointed blades of grass, listening to the sounds of voices from far away, smelling the musk of the forest and the smoke of barbecues in the air… the taste of alcohol. (more…)

Popularity: 2% [?]

Their fifth studio album finds My Morning Jacket attempting to fulfill their urge to not be evilly defined solely by one genre. They’ve banked on the same aesthetic for awhile: change is not only expected by this juncture, it’s generally welcomed.

The first single and opener, “Evil Urges,” is both misleading and indicative of where My Morning Jacket goes with this album. On the one hand, the band explores new styles (such as the surf-rock air of this song), but on the other hand, this isn’t a complete reinvention. Like so many bands releasing albums this year, My Morning Jacket tries on new styles, but they haven’t completely let go of what’s worked for them thus far.

As a result, Evil Urges feels a little uneven, musically. They’ve incorporated more synths and electronic parts (most notably in the killer two-parter, “Touch Me I’m Going To Scream, Pt. 1″ and “Touch Me I’m Going To Scream, Pt. 2″), which sounds like a strange combination in concept, but works naturally in practice. Then there’s “Highly Suspicious,” which causes one to be highly suspicious indeed of who the hell thought this song was a good idea. Instead of classic rock refitted, it’s classic rock parodied, the kind of song that, with its ridiculously pushed vocals, conjures up thoughts of My Morning Jacket starring as Spinal Tap.

More surprise waits at the mid-point. At first, “Thank You Too!” sounds like it could’ve been on Z with its languid quality, but then the strings kick in, and before long it starts to sound like the soft side of AOR. Like much of that material, it’s fun and catchy, but sappy. Very sappy. And if that wasn’t enough, “Sec Walkin’” keeps the AOR party going by being even smoother than its predecessor. It will not be surprising if Jim James finds Michael McDonald standing at his doorstep soon. (more…)

Popularity: 5% [?]

For equitable purposes, it’s probably best to mentally separate Wolf Parade from their debut, Apologies to the Queen Mary. Not because it’s too good and they’ll never top it, and not because it’s bad: simply because Wolf Parade is quite a different band in 2008 than they were in 2005.

In the three years between albums, the band’s main songwriters, Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner, worked on side projects: Swan Lake and Sunset Rubdown for Krug, and Handsome Furs for Boeckner. Add to this the band’s removal of the power of Modest Mouse’s Isaac Brock at the helm of production, and you’ve got a band eager to make its own name in its own right, well beyond their debut.

Aesthetically, At Mount Zoomer is more refined, though not as immediately grabbing, as the band vowed, “no singles.” Still, in their time with their other projects, it’s clear that their songwriting skills continued to develop and evolve, and they bring with them the quality of experience. The melodies are more alluring, the sound is cleaner, and overall presents itself as more professional. At Mount Zoomer is considerably more upbeat, due in large part to Wolf Parade’s more frequent use of piano instead of heavily processed synths, though the synths are certainly still there.

There’s discernible difference between the two songwriting forces, but when compared to the alternative (two songwriters without distinct personality), this shouldn’t be considered a negative. Ultimately, their themes are compatible and they’re using the same musicians, so there aren’t enough variables to result in choppy pacing. (more…)

Popularity: 5% [?]

Comprised of material from their earliest singles, everything from Wooden Shjips’ Volume 1 was actually written before the material on their self-titled release from last year. Unfortunately, it shows.

Wooden Shjips’ self-titled release sounds a lot like the Doors at times, but it also sounds like a modern band doing interesting things with the same dingy, drugged out, heat wave aesthetic. Volume 1 sounds like a band who found a couple interesting riffs and decided to make songs by repeating them over and over and over with a few slight changes.

“Shrinking Moon For You” and “Death’s Not Your Friend” both employ grooves that are easy to get into at first — but incredibly irritating by the 50th time you’ve heard them repeated. The Wooden Shjips use plenty of repetition on Wooden Shjips, but everything else going on is enough to keep the songs interesting. Here, it’s hard to tell if it’s a case of a poor mixing job that’s putting the wrong sections of the song at the forefront, or just uninteresting songs. The third song, “Space Clothes,” is simply a bunch of odd effects applied to voice, which is okay, but not worth listening to more than a couple times.

Wooden Shjips redeem themselves with the the last three tracks, but the listener might have to force themselves to even get that far, and even though the actual songs improve, the quality is still a little rough. “Clouds Over Earthquake” is one of best tracks on Volume 1, with some seriously old-sounding effects. It’s really heavy, thick and synthesized, giving the song a ’70s or ’80s prog touch — especially when the deep female voice comes in. The garage rock feel of “Dance, California (Radio Edit)” helps it shine above most of what else is on Volume 1, but doesn’t quite get to the same level of Wooden Shjips. “SOL ‘07″ finds the band blending hints of brass with a quick pace carried by a warm, fuzzed out guitar, coming together in a way that makes one think of a drive into Mexico. It’s a fitting way to end Volume 1, because it’s the most Doors-inspired track, and the first song on their self-titled album is their other most Doors-influenced work. Playing this back to back with Wooden Shjips – in the order of their composition (Volume 1 first then Wooden Shjips) — makes perfect sense.

Wooden Shjips, “SOL ‘07″ (download)

Volume 1 is an interesting listen for anyone who’s really adamant about this band. It sheds light on their origins, and is a handy release for those who couldn’t find the 7″ and 10″ records that some of these songs are on. For casual fans, however, or anyone who’s compelled enough to want to give Wooden Shjips a shot, it’s probably best to stick to the self-titled album — or get this and only listen to the second half.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Death Cab for Cutie isn’t the only band who threw fans off with an unusual single this year. Go ahead and add Sigur Ros to that list. When they released “Gobbledigook,” the single from Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust, everyone was quick to point out how much it sounds like Animal Collective. And in a way, it does sound like Animal Collective: a more controlled, restrained Animal Collective. It’s upbeat and perky, two words which could almost never be used to describe anything the band did in the past. So was this it? Had they really changed their sound so drastically? The answer, unsurprisingly, is “sort of.”

Sigur Ros,”Gobbledigook” (download)

The first half of Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust runs contrary to most of Sigur Ros’ back catalog. It’s perky, full and busy where they’re usually slow, sparse and delicate. The cover art from photographer Ryan McGinley fits this part of the album. Naked people running through the country on a sunny day? Sure, “Gobbledigook,” “Inni Mer Syngur Vitleysingur” and “Vid Spilum Endalaust” could certainly be the soundtrack to such light spirited activities. But make no mistake - Sigur Ros are still the same Sigur Ros that everyone is accustomed to. They return to their light, languid melodies for the rest of the album. (more…)

Popularity: 7% [?]

For a band like Radiohead, making a “best of” is almost like a slap in the face. Limiting their consistently impressive catalog to a handful of songs completely out of context isn’t to their benefit. But these kinds of compilations have become an industry standard as an easy way for record labels to make cash, so it was only a matter of time until it happened to Radiohead, too.

Nothing here is really a surprise. All of the band’s big players are here — “Fake Plastic Trees,” “Paranoid Android,” “Creep,” so on and so forth. For the rare case of someone not familiar with Radiohead, it’s certainly a convenient way to get an easy handle on the songs that helped to break the band. But it’s debatable whether or not this is the most accurate representation of their output.

Radiohead, “Creep” (download)

Should a potpourri be one’s chosen method for digesting Radiohead, the expanded two-disc version is easily better than the standard release, featuring songs that weren’t on proper studio full-lengths. This includes favorites more tailored to more ardent fans, like “Talk Show Host” and “Exit Music (For a Film).”

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Popularity: 8% [?]

Have you ever felt like a song has the answer you’re looking for? That if you could just figure out what the person is really, truly singing about and saying, then you’d know what to do?

For the past couple crossroads in my life, “Vienna” has been that song.

Billy Joel, “Vienna” (download)

Judging by Billy Joel’s personal life, it’s probably not the safest bet to assume that he’s got the answers to much of anything, but “Vienna” has a certain timelessness. It was released in the ’70s, but sounds like it could have come out yesterday. It tackles the questions that never really go away: questions about what we want and what we need, about getting older, about how we live our lives. But while it may be straight-forward, it’s also somewhat vague.

Slow down you crazy child
You’re so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you’re so smart tell me why
You are still so afraid?

But couldn’t slowing down be seen as being afraid, too? It all depends on what we’re talking about here.

But you know that when the truth is told
That you can get what you want
Or you can just get old

In a song about the values of slowing down, this seems to contradict his point. It sounds like he’s saying that you can work hard to get what you want or relax and just get old. If he’s advocating the latter, this is hardly convincing. Or, is this a criticism of the former, pointing out that even if you work hard to get what you want, you’ll still get old, just like everyone else? But we’re all going to get old, anyway, so isn’t it better to get what you want in the process? Then there’s that “you know” to contend with. Is this the way the subject of the song thinks, and he’s criticizing this way of thinking? (more…)

Popularity: 6% [?]

The French Kicks have presented the same problem to music journalists for a third time in a row. How do you write about music that’s unremarkable but pleasant in a way that people will want to read it?

Did I lose you just now? No? Good. Thing is, The French Kicks really are a damn decent band. They’re incredibly consistent, which is comforting in a time when the business is so volatile. But consistency comes with its price: namely, boredom.

Existing fans may find themselves pleased that the band has, once again, stuck to the “If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it” mantra. But by the end of Swimming, their fourth full length, it becomes clear that the refusal to move forward counts as being broken.

The French Kicks, “Carried Away” (download)

The band makes a few small efforts to spice things up. “Carried Away” and “Sex Tourists” are sunnier than the group’s usual mellow, cooled-off attitude. Lead vocalist Nick Stumpf has expanded his falsetto and the entire group is experimenting with new ways to use their voices, layering them in alternating shifts (”Atlanta”) as opposed to just their standard Stumpf on verse, band on chorus approach. (more…)

Popularity: 7% [?]

Listening to The In Crowd, the sophomore effort from Chicagoan rap duo Kidz in the Hall, is a lot like putting your R&B and rap collection on shuffle. Showing more versatility than on their debut, Double-0 and Naledge tackle an assortment of new styles, from dance and R&B to commercial rap, to old school hip-hop to trip-hop.

For the most part, Kidz in the Hall stick to the blues and jazz beats that were so popular in the ’90s and have been reappearing recently, thanks to artists like fellow Chicagoan Lupe Fiasco and Madlib. Opener “Black Out” finds its home in the beat of an upright bass. “Paper Trail” is not only smooth enough to make Michael McDonald proud but boasts a guest appearance from Phonte that’s reminiscent of Mos Def.

Kidz in the Hall, “Paper Trail (Feat. Phonte)” (download)

But lest ye get too comfortable with the laid back vibe, Kidz in the Hall kick things into a new gear with “Drivin’ Down The Block,” which features the flashy lyrics and production of a Lil’ Jon or Ying Yang Twins joint. Oh, but don’t expect that mood to last, either - because next they whip out “Lucifer’s Joyride,” a quirky, dance-r&b jam about cruisin’, boozin’ and sexin’ that could make Justin Timberlake jealous. (more…)

Popularity: 7% [?]

As we approach summer, I find myself somewhat unimpressed by 2008 as a new release year. Granted, the second half of the year is almost always stronger than the first, and 2007 was no exception. But 2008’s best releases, so far, don’t feel quite as important as last year’s.

Of all the releases from last year that I loved, Yeasayer’s All Hour Cymbals has carried over into this year the best. Were I to rearrange my Top 10, it would make it to the top three, at least.

Those unconvinced or unfamiliar need only listen to “Ah, Weir.” Reaching only the 1 minute 21 second mark, it’s one of the more powerful, memorable moments of music to cross my ears in the past year.

Yeasayer, “Ah, Weir” (download)

Though there are no words in it, to call “Ah, Weir” an instrumental would, technically, be incorrect - the band members use their voices only to hold specific notes, acting as an accompaniment of sorts to the swaying of synths and percussion, their gorgeous harmonies undulating with the music. It’s the soundtrack of drifting out to sea on a raft, of driving into a sunset, of standing still while wind rustles pushes everything around you. It’s hard to ignore and even harder to forget. And it’s just a minute and a half long interlude.

Popularity: 7% [?]