New Music 5/15

Pretty interesting week, I have to say.

Tenacious D - Rize of the Fenix

As I said before, the D is fucking back.  I'm not sure how funny I find the band's relatively unchanged schtick, but when the actual music is this good, who cares?  This collections of songs is easily the best they've had since their self-titled album back almost a decade ago, and this is just great rock music, made by comedians or not.  The genres they dabble in are a little more varied here, with a pretty awesome Springsteen/Tom Waits impression on "39" and a flute-filled English folk take on "The Ballad of Hollywood Jack and the Rage Cage."  If I have any complaint, it is that a couple of their songs are a little too short, as if they're afraid that the joke is too one-note.  Still, this is one of the best old-school rock albums I've heard this year.

Selections

Rize of the Fenix

Roadie

39

The Ballad of Hollywood Jack and the Rage Kage

The Cribs - In the Belly of the Brazen Beast

More awesome guitar-driven rock.  The leadoff track is reminiscent of Dinosaur Jr, the second track reminds me of Foo Fighters, and Steve Albini shows up for a couple of tracks later.  Fans of riff-heavy 90's guitar rock (the aforementioned Dinosaur Jr, Built to Spill), should really enjoy this album.  This album is the band's fifth, but I have to admit to not knowing much about them other than that Johnny Marr played with them for a while.  This album is good enough to make me think about looking into their back catalog.

Selections

Glitters Like Gold

Come On, Be a No-One

Chi-Town

Best Coast - The Only Place

Bethany Cosentino comes across as something of a poor man's Neko Case on this album, but there are far worse things to be.  The band still has that catchy, sunny, easygoing California vibe, but Cosentino has added something of a slight country twang to her vocals.  The album reminds me most of Case's most recent album Middle Cyclone, but without the 31 minute song that consisted largely of frogs croaking.  All in all, not a huge departure from their debut album, but I'd say this one is a slight improvement, which means it will work relatively decently as some fun summer music.

Selections

The Only Place

Last Year

Do You Love Me Like You Used To

Beach House - Bloom

This may be the best album of the week at achieving what it set out to do, but its goals are a little narrow for my tastes.  Beach House plays incredibly sleepy dream pop, and this album continues that tradition.  What makes this my favorite Beach House album is that the music is the brightest it's ever been; the songs are mostly uplifting.  Its chill-out vibe means it's not something I'm always going to be reaching for, but when I do want some chill music, there's not much better than this.  

Selections

Myth

Lazuli

Other People

Beach House – Other People