Editorial Review

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah sold nearly 20,000 copies of its self-titled, self-released debut through the mail--and got nearly as many raves from enthusiastic MP3 bloggers, leading to an entry on Read more

Reviews (102)

Lots of fun
After I heard a few tracks off this album, I was really excited 'cause they were all a lot fun, catchy, and solid songs.When I bought the album, I thought it was a little sketchy - good, but I knew it'd take a few spins to warm up to it (the same thing happened to me with stellestarr*, and as a side note, if you're coming "from" them, you'll like CYHSY, if you like CYHSY, you'll prolly like stellestarr*).Okay, like it seems for so many others, it was the singer who got to me every now and then - I mean, taking that voice for an entire album....But as I listened to it a few more times, and now, again, after a short break, I'm starting to love them - and I've found that the "grating" vocals (would anyone else say... campy?) only add another layer: yeah they get to me sometimes, but somehow it makes me like them more.And the instrumentations... so good!

CLAP YOUR HANDS AND SAY THANKYOU!!! (4.5 really)
Forget about all the intellectualizing done in the other reviews that focus on how "bad" and "annoying" the singer is.What I know is that I'm an infuriatingly selective headphones junkie and I keep listening and listening and LISTENING to this record.So if you want to accuse Alec Ounsworth of something, accuse him of having the guts and brilliance to offer up something new, fun and heartfelt to a music world swimming in boredom, convention and vapidity.There are times when CYHSY are just about as exciting as the jumpiest Animal Collective songs but with lyrics you can actually decipher.Also the running time is perfect at just over thirty-seven minutes, observing the philosophy, "Do your best stuff and get the hell out."Bold and comfortable at the same time.Quite rare.
Just misses all the notes
On purpose.Possibly the best music in 50 years.Listen to it a few times before you post a review. The band's voice is definitely a barrier but it's not insurmountable. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Indie Rock    2. Pop    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

On his seventh album (and first for Dave Matthews' ATO label), David Gray refines his sonic palette with wonderful results. The first record made in a "real" studio and the first done with an outside producer (MOR hotshot Marius De Vries), it's a nice improvement over 2002's lukewarm, sparsely electronicized Read more

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Reviews (132)

Great
There is something very cinematic about David Gray's "Life In Slow Motion". It begins like a dream drifting back in time - like snow falling on a quiet troubled world (that's what I'm feelin). The next song "The One I Love" is a poignant love song from the lips of a dying man. Next song - depression - "honey lately I've been way down". What follows are more songs of depression, desperation, and beauty. What a soulful voice David Gray has. "Life In Slow Motion" is very well produced - with piano, strings and the occasional well placed synth. It sounds contemporary and yet old at the same time. I love it - I think it's his best album.

Nice and mellow
David Gray has always been a favorite of mine. Very mellow songs but great for work or just relaxing.

David Gray takes us on a magnificent journey....
David Gray's - Life In Slow Motion - takes us on a journey that only has a beginning and never ends because you will never want it to end.Listen to the haunting "Alibi" one time; or the oceanic "From Here You Can Almost See The Sea" (subtitiled by me: Just Another Fool In Love); or the powerful, "Now and Always" -Listen once, I dare you.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. Singer/Songwriter    7. Wales   

Features

• Original recording reissued

Reviews (43)

Sharing the Blessing
There are some bands that one is happy to hear the first time, and there are others that make one feel blessed. Listening to this Decembrists' CD, I reveled in my good fortune; what a wonderful world we live in that can yield music this good.
We live this close to death
An astounding debut album, CASTAWAYS AND CUTOUTS became the foundation upon which the witty, eloquent Decemberists six began to build their empire. Trying on this album is like buying new clothes (a shopping metaphor, witness me aghast!) - at first they're stiff, they don't fit comfortably, and you look a little awkward in them, but once you've broken them in after a few wears they're worth their weight in gold.
A Contemporary Classic
This album is the total package that 1 looks for in an album.First, musically, it's pop music, but a different kind of pop.Kind of like the Beatles doing Sea Chantys of the mid 1800's.Lyrically it follows many of these same themes.It is interesting to note that Collin Meloy, the lead singer, wanted to be a novelist before forming the band, and it shows with the lyrics.Every song tells a story that is humorous, ironic, and heart wrenching in every way imaginable.It truly takes the listener along for an experience; a rarity these days, when everyone is so concerned withdeath and trying to be serious, then getting in the way.Overall, a great buy, and soon to become revered as a classic. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Chamber Pop    2. Indie Pop    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Subjects:  1. Indie Pop    2. Pop    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop    5. Sadcore   

Editorial Review

Canadian singer Leslie Feist has served as a guest vocalist for Norwegian folkies Kings of Convenience, Toronto power-pop troupe Broken Social Scene, and - under the frightening moniker "Bitch Lap-Lap" - the hairy female rapper Peaches. But her unruly resume hardly prepares you for the emotionally rich, softy sensual music on her major label debut. Moving from tortured torch songs such as "Lonely Lonely" to pulsating originals like "Mushaboom," it also contains stunning remakes of Ron Sexsmith's "Secret Heart" and the Bee Gees' "Inside and Out," tunes Feist not only makes her own but effectively uses to dissect her romantic desolation. "Don't you wish we could forget that kiss?" she smolders on the title track. Not in this lifetime. Read more

Reviews (55)

Enjoying this CD Thoroughly!
I hadn't even heard of "Feist" before my 16 year old son made me a compilation CD of various artists. I heard "Mushaboom" and was delighted. "Who IS this?" I asked him, and he told me. I felt so out-of-it, but also very happy to discover that not every female vocalist nowadays sounds like Minnie Mouse on speed, thank Heavens. There are some out there who can sing and who are not afraid to be a bit different than the mainstream. Her voice is unique, and Feist's style is hard to peg. I like that. I immediately went on Amazon, listened to some samples and read some reviews, then bought my first "Feist" CD. I have not been disappointed.

Near-universal appeal
Sometimes a record comes along that appeals to suburban housewives, business executives, and downtown hipsters alike. "Let it Die" crosses such demographic barriers by force of sheer excellence. Leslie Feist is a captivating performer, and her honeyed vocals carry an album that is eclectic in tone and musical styles. It starts with the smoky acoustic bossa-nova of "Gatekeeper," continues through the ecstatic, swinging "Mushaboom," and gets soulful and subdued on the title track.
Fresh and upbeat
Fresh, fun and clever lyrics. Upbeat music. Not a one hit wonder! I'm very much enjoying quite a few tracks on this very pleasant, heaping-helping of unassuming talent. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Bass    3. Canada    4. Drums    5. Guitar (Acoustic)    6. Guitar (Electric)    7. Indie Rock    8. Keyboards    9. Lo-Fi    10. Percussion    11. Pop    12. Rock    13. Rock/Pop    14. Sampling    15. Trombone    16. Vocals    17. Xylophone   

Editorial Review

A singing duo of Amanda Barrett on mandolin and dulcimer, and Abby DeWald on guitar, this is the second release by The Ditty Bops. They draw liberally on genres of yore, hopping from western swing to vaudevillian theatrics, jazz, and folk music. They mine a vein similar to what Dan Hicks was doing with his Hot Licks in the early seventies, though their compositional sensibilities embrace a wider realm. Sympathetically produced by Mitchell Froom (who also plays keyboards, including a dazzling turn at the piano on "Aluminum Can"), they're joined by some of the finest players to be found in Los Angeles, including the ever-apt percussion of Elvis Costello's longtime drummer, Pete Thomas. While the title song opens the set on a quaint note, by the third number, "Fall Awake," it becomes clear that The Ditty Bops are not to be pigeonholed. The set's one cover, Boudleaux and Felice Bryant's "Bye Bye Love," is sweet but breaks the parade of their own resonant and mysterious songs.Read more

Reviews (14)

Angels with an attitude
The Ditty Bops stalwartly ignored the typical pop conventions in their self-titled debut -- and they continue ignoring in "Moon Over the Freeway," their second album of jazzy folky ragtimey cabaret pop.
Yes to the Bops
Darn those Ditty Bops for songs that you can't get out of your head.A better, beautiful and more hauntingly gorgeous melody than Moon Over the Freeway - if it exists, it must be in another universe.Very seldom would I buy a 2nd CD unheard but after that first incredible debut cd, there was no doubt that I was going to love this one too and I do but in a much different way.The only true comparrison I can make about the two is that I loved every song passionately on the first and the "Moon" isn't a "10 for 10" but a good "6" and what tunes they are.
Tough to describe, tougher to turn off
These two young ladies continue with the innovative, pleasing and humorous ways.For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of experiencing the "Bops" live, you are missing a true theatrical treat.I mean, after all, how many performers can you listen to while one of the members of the troupe carves a pumpkin on stage during several of the songs?
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Indie Pop    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

How is it that Read more

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Reviews (2036)

the most interesting group of its generation
stop comparing this to u2 and pink floyd.the comparisons aren't apt, and this album is far superior to anything that (decent) pink floyd and (horrible) u2 have ever done.
Good listening
...when you're gearing up for suicide. This whole album sounds like the last thoughts and comments of a person who's going to just end it all. I found myself suffering nightmares, fatigue, misery and paranoia. My ears unclogged but I started getting headaches and a fuzzy feel in my head. This is not a good album for the stressed, because it will just make you feel worse. I find this album unlikable and mostly unenjoyable. When I first listened to it it sounded inaccessable, after listening to it more and more I started to get more "into" it, but I can't say I found it a good place to be in. It's a somewhat interesting album, but it mostly just dragged me down, made me nervous, numb and hurt my head.
I didn't think that they could get any gayer..(is that a word? Gayer???)
Listening to this album is like receiving a LONG SLOW ENEMA. I still have no idea what people see in this much OVERATED band. I understand the comparisons to U2 (which, by the way, is a far superior band), but Pink Floyd?? Pink Floyd runs circles around this poor excuse for a band musically and lyrically!! Creep is their only good song.....There I said it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Experimental Rock    3. Indie Electronic    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

On first listen, Wolf Parade is just another Canadian buzz band that plays fun, keyboard-heavy, new wave-y indie-rock and sings in weird, affected, high-pitched tones. Upon further listening, the songs reveal a lot of strange and fuzzy little details, and the lyrics have more depth than most bands do on their debuts. The Montreal-based group was brought to the Seattle-based Sub Pop label's attention by none other than Modest Mouse's Isaac Brock, modern rock radio's king of affected vocalizings. Brock even recorded much of the album in Portland, OR. The vocalist has more than a passing affinity for David Bowie, and if you love the Arcade Fire and Frog Eyes, you probably are already a fan. Read more

Reviews (63)

Clever, infectious, blisteringly fun album
Hmmmm. So I see there are comparisons to Arcade Fire abound, and I must say, if it's worth anything, Wolf Parade takes my vote. Well, at least in terms of their two latest albums -- 'Funeral' and 'Apologies'. Perhaps the comparison is in many respects irrelevent, but even so I find it an interesting debate. I know, I know -- you're about to have a panic attack because your anticipation for my reasonings is uncontrollable -- but let me tell you, I am probably the least convincing guy in the world with regard to supporting an argument maintaining some sort of poise, within ANY subject, so your adrenaline glands are pumping bodily juices for no reason at all... better go buy some xanax.
4.5 stars, For Indie Hipster or Indie Kids, only?
This album is worthy to be called one of the best of 2005 because of the harmonizing vocals, beautiful keyboard and guitar arrangements that mesh together so well and a spunky edge that comes out at you like a fairy tale. Now you may be saying what the hell is this guy talking about? Well, I'm pondering on whether Wolf Parade's "Apologies to the Queen Mary" is a success or just old news. Wolf Parade are an intriguing band none-the-less even if this effort consists of two catchy but highly inconvienent voices. You maybe uncomfortable at first (I wasn't, I dove right in) with the artistic dialogues and the expressions of the music but still you will have a good chance of finding one of your new favorite bands if you pick up this debut.

simply amazing
I'll Believe in Anything is an epic song. All around great songs on the record, also do not miss them live! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Indie Pop    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (4)

Break out the superlatives starting with FABULOUS...
I confess I was introduced to Roisin Murphy courtesy of Fox's hit show "So You Think You Can Dance".The Ramalama song stuck in my head and I simply had to know more about the artist.And so I found Ruby Blue.And I am thrilled I did!
Roisin Murphy
My wife asked me to buy this for her.I had never heard of Roisin Murphy before, which piqued my interest, so I tried it out.And, Wow, I was quite impressed.
This Album is Incredible!
I absolutely adore this album.There is really nothing out there quite like it.Roisin Murphy has one of the loveliest and most expressive voices in music today.
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Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Electronic    3. Indie Electronic    4. Pop    5. Rock   

Editorial Review

Beck brags here that he's "got two turntables and a microphone." He also has a sweeping aesthetic that sees no reason why musical allusions to hip-hop, the Beatles, James Brown, punk, Gram Parsons, cool jazz, and Dylan can't coexist in the same song. Throughout, he rap-sings with sincere irony--I bet he laughs at the sight of a jump-suited Elvis, then cries when the King starts to sing--and Read more

Reviews (171)

Formula, But Also Fun at Times
Really 3 and a half stars, but I round up.Unfortunately religion has crept into his work making the lyrics more pretentious and less insightful, despite the solid songwriting that defines the CD the songs many times fail to grab you. "Where It's At" was the first single and I don't needanother song written about the most overdone topic in rock, while others applaud it for some reason."The New Pollution" was the second single and to me this is formula at its most obvious.I am glad I own this CD though. I love many of the experimental sounds added and "Devil's Haircut" is worth the price of admission by itself.You can listen to this CD straight through, but it just doesn't match Mellow Gold or even Guero for it's abbility to draw you in.Recommended for diehard Beck fans.

Something for everyone
Odelay is one of those albums that leaves you smiling and thinking all at once. There are all kinds of genres crossed in this album. You'll hear funk, rap, bossa nova(he quotes Antonia Carlos Jobim briefly) and rock. The most interesting part of this album is not only the lesser known songs but that it still sounds fresh today almost ten years after it's release(June 18, 1996). There is something for everyone one this album which makes it a popular hit at parties. I'm new to Beck and Alternative Rock and I think I'll buy his Mellow Gold album next.

Uneven but way better than "Mellow Gold" -an influential album in its day - barely a classic
Though the album is very uneven with a lot of ok songs, as a whole "Odelay" is a great album. There are three Lo-Fi classics here - "Devil's Haircut", "Hotwax (which wasn't a hit), and "Where It's At". Not only does this make it accessible for non-Beck fans, but it makes the album that much more worth buying. Very creative with a lot of soul put into it. Its historical influence adds a lot of value to it and helps make it worth buying. Although "Guero" and "Mutations" are more satisfying as a whole (they contain no filler), "Odelay" is still a great record. Three factors give it a 5-star rating - the 3 classic songs, its creativity and its historical influence. Recommended!
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Club/Dance    3. Indie Rock    4. Lo-Fi    5. Pop    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

Iron & Wine is Sam Beam, a back-porch Florida singer-songwriter whose sad little songs pack a helluva wallop. Beam's immediately likable tunes paint such clear pictures that songs like "Southern Anthem" and "Muddy Hymnal" are more akin to short stories by Raymond Carver and Flannery O'Connor than to your average pop ditty. Recorded in his living room on a vintage four-track, Read more

Reviews (80)

check this out too
I am a huge fan of catchy, quiet folk music with insightful lyrics. If you enjoy this album then I strongly recommend that you check out the following:
Spoken words like moonlight, you're the voice that I like
I bought this CD for one reason...I had bought "Our Endless Numbered Days" and was so blown away by the beauty of it, that I had to have more.And "The Creek Drank The Cradle" is no exception.Sam Beam, is a poet, and one that makes you feel a sense of nostalgia, as if you have been to the places he sings about or have done the things that he has done.This is a CD that makes you want to lie in the grass and stare at the clouds roll by.His breathless voice is similar to Elliott Smith or Sufjan Stevens and the lyrics will stick in your head the same.My favorite songs are: Bird Stealing Bread, Upward Over The Mountain, Lions Mane, Southern Anthem, and Faded From Winter.Beam's voice is honest and refreshing, folksy and simple, haunting and beautiful, raw and brilliant.Although not as good as "Our Endless Days," this is a debut album and it's fun to see the maturity and growth of Sam Beam.The album is also more lo-fi, which takes nothing away from the music at all.Be on the watch from Beam, because he keeps getting better and better.

Meaningful songs
I have been listening to more softer music lately, I am tired of all the usual stuff, so I am trying new bands that I never heard of before. I think this is really good. I like the quality of the songs. I think Samis a good songwriter. He has an interesting voice, not the best I have ever heard, but he uses it in a way that really bring out the meaning of the lyrics. "Promise" What You Will is my favorite song on this album. I think I will buy more of his music. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Pop    2. Popular Music    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (124)

Great CD
This CD is a must have!I play it over and over and never get tired of it.

Wide Appeal & Worth Having
Casting Crowns got it right.I love this CD and so does my youth group.My favorite song on there is "If We are the Body" because it speaks the truth about the church.This song hits home and asks questions along the lines of - "Why does the church judge people seeking help rather than reach out to them?"
Great Lyrics
but it was too heavy overall. Could have gone for a lighter sound -- less rock influences... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Contemporary    2. Alternative CCM    3. CCM    4. Christian Punk    5. Contemporary Christian Music    6. Gospel    7. Indie Rock    8. Pop    9. Punk Revival    10. Punk-Pop    11. Religious / Contemp. Christian    12. United States of America   

Editorial Review

Listening to Read more

Reviews (18)

The more I listen the more I like
In a word - Incredible!!!!She captures my darkest moments and my most happy ones.I am riveted by the pure emotions she exhibits.I am not a flower child but I would have wanted to have this as my soundtrack for the 1960's.It clearly is the soundtrack for me now.Thank you Sia!

Nelly Furtado meets Dido... but softer
Like many, I became acquainted with Sia's music before I knew who she was, while she sang with Zero 7. Learned to love her voice, but honestly I had no idea she was back until I picked up the second part of the OST for "Six Feet Under" and heard her singing "Breathe Me" (which happens to play to the last scene in the last episode of the last season). I was blown away by her.
Captivating album
In a world of hit songs and singles, this album is a delectable, soothing mix of songs that you can play from start to finish - no skipping.Sia's tone is extremely unique and beautiful - it's slightly nasal, but extremely powerful and her ability to slide from note to note is remniscent of the skatting ability of Fitzgerald - though Sia takes a much slower approach. "breathe me" is ethereal and absolutely breath-taking - one of those times when the single actually is the best track on the album."Don't bring me Down" and "Sunday" are great tracks as well.The only let down of this album is the lack of variance in tempos - it's a little slow at times, but other than that it's a great CD and I'm proud to have it on my wall.If you fancy Sia and other female singer/song writers, try "Siren Songs" by Gretchen Lieberum -an irresistably sultry, sexy female subpop/jazz vocalist whose latest album features innovative musical and lyrical ideas. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Adult Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Indie Pop    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Jokingly referred to as the White Stripes' British album, Read more

Reviews (693)

the white stripes?...or nirvana?
I like this album, and there's not really much I can say that other reviewers haven't already said, but I give it only three stars because of something a quite disgruntled reviewer said that I took to heart...
Stripe me, baby!
I love this duo! Though this is the only White Stripes CD I own so far, I am a confirmed fan of Jack and Meg White. I am in my forties and have eclectic taste in music but tend to love rock best. I own and enjoy Audioslave, Alice in Chains, the Beatles, the Police, the Foo Fighters, Bonnie Raitt, No Doubt and even some French music among many other artists and genres. The White Stripes give me everything that I love about all of my favorite music: great lyrics, a compelling beat, hypnotic guitar and a truly unique voice. One of my favorite aspects of the music on the Elephant CD is the bluesy undertone to the music, expecially on Ball And Biscuit, which may be my favorite cut. Jack's voice is a physical, seductive sensation on this one. He seems to really unleash that voice and it is powerful! Black Math is another of my favorites because of the tempo changes. I have to stop whatever I'm doing during this song and let it carry me along. Jack's voice changes with the tempo also. Brilliant! Seven Nation Army is probably the most commercially successful song on the CD and it is still as fabulous as ever but there is so much more to love. All of the songs are very good. I highly recommend Elephant.

Don't belive the hype - belive the record
In all my days of album picking, I've never approached an album with more caution than this one. Before I picked it up, I read; read everything from the praise that "Seven Nation Army" has gotten from critics across the music spectrum, to the wonderfully glorious acceptance speeches fans of the garage rock genre gave to the fourteen track monster. You can see how poised I was to listen to the blasted thing.
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Subjects:  1. Blues-Rock    2. Garage Rock Revival    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Punk    6. Punk Blues    7. Rock   

Reviews (18)

Surprisingly excellent
I probably shouldn't say "surpringly" excellent we are after all talking about Sufjan, but when this was released I was hesitant to buy it because I thought of a B-sides and outtakes album as not up to par with regular releases. I thought that if this didn't make the album then it must not be as good, that's pretty much the case with most other artists. Artists other than Sufjan. This album is really amazing and is absolutely level with his other releases. It should be looked at as an album and not a collection of outtakes . I highly recommend this to all Sufjan fans especially those who love "Illinoise"

He's an avalanche
Sufjan Stevens has reached a new level in his musical career -- the point where every shred of his art is of interest.
Still better than anything else out there.
This album takes a handfull of listens before it starts to sink in and get comfortable.Some of the songs seem a little caotic and over the top at first, but when you start to understand the world that Sufjan creates through out the album, you realise that he is, in fact, capable of putting out better and better music.There is nothing out there better than Sufjan, other than lesser substitutes that only provide a brief brake from listening to Sufjan continuosly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Americana    2. Indie Pop    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Progressive Folk    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop    8. Singer/Songwriter   

Editorial Review

During and after his days as the leader of Massachusetts band the Scud Mountain Boys, which fizzled after their dazzling 1996 Sub Pop release, Joe Pernice has crafted his songs with a juxtaposed blueprint--hummable melodies and a lush pop tenor camouflaging lyrics that reek of anxiety and aggravation. "Struggling through the S's/Through the tunnels in the trees/Through the sticky optimism hardening in me," he mordantly confesses in "PCH One," among the best of the dozen songs that make up the Pernices' sixth full-length record. Backed by brother Bob and ace guitarist Peyton Pinkerton, Pernice's unblemished voice is the key instrument, whether lamenting a spurious hometown ("Somerville") or summating a breakup ("Conscience Clean") with one telltale line: "So I threw a dart at Europe/She hit Michigan." But the band saves the most poignant track for last, a remake of the Scuds' "Grudge F***," in which Pernice pleads for one last encounter with an ex-lover. It's the kind of song that once sold a million for AM radio bands like Bread, and wraps up in 4:57 what the Pernice Brothers are all about. Read more

Reviews (4)

stunning and complex
The songs on the new Pernice Brothers get better with each listen.They are nothing short of stunning - complex and elegant, yet simple.By far, their best CD to date - each song distinct and very well crafted.Ranging from hard driving (BS Johnson, Microscopic View) to more melodic (PCH One) I can't get the CD out of my car or the songs out of my head - yet each listen opens up new elements in the lyrics and the instrumentation.Joe's vocal are fantastic, Peyton's guitar work is awesome.Get this CD now - and go see them on tour if they stop in your town(they are fantastic live)!!!

The ethereal greatness of the Pernice Brothers continues...
If you're a fan of the Pernice Brothers' earlier work, stop reading this and go purchase the album right now. At first listen, I wasn't very impressed, but each song grew on me considerably with repeated listens, as I had experienced with their previous albums, and I'm tempted to call this my favorite yet. Live a Little evokes the vibe of Overcome By Happiness, with lilting melodies and clever, incisive lyrics that cut straight to the heart and mind. Joe Pernice has never been better in terms of songwriting or with the emotional impact of his distinctly breathy yet clear voice. Song arrangements have become more complex and adds to the trademark sublime quality of the Pernice Brothers' work. All the songs are excellent, but particular favorites include "Somerville" and an introduction straight from Oasis that leads into a delightfully upbeat tune; "How Can I Compare", in which Joe waxes sentimental like he did on "How To Live Alone" from "Yours, Mine and Ours"; "B.S. Johnson", with a catchy, relentlessly driving bassline akin to that of "The Weakest Shade of Blue" also from "Yours, Mine and Ours"; "Lightheaded" and its upbeat bridge; "High as a Kite" has much the same wistfulness of "Our Time Has Passed" from "The World Won't End", but with an even more beautiful chorus; and "Grudge F**k", a reworking of a Scud Mountain Boys song which I have not heard before, but cannot have been as damn good as this version. I could go on and on about the merits of all of these songs, some of the finest examples of music as art in the 21st century. Buy this album. (And the rest of the Pernice Brothers' stuff if you haven't yet).

Cap'n Sez...
Buy this album.If you don't have all the rest buy them too.There is still time to discover this world class band you never heard of.Learn new vocabulary words from Joe Pernice's great smartass lyrics.Another masterpiece. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Chamber Pop    2. Indie Pop    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Pop Underground    6. Rock    7. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

It was easy to see where Kasabian was coming from on its self-titled 2004 debut: Take Oasis' classic rock bluster, slap it together with the Chemical Brothers' acid-soaked club beats, and shake fiercely. But how to improve on a formula the British band already perfected with early singles like "Club Foot" and "Reason Is Treason"? That's easy: more of the same, only louder. On Read more

Reviews (8)

Ace followup
This album bombards you like a cold wave...totally worthy second album.'Nuff said

Bad, bad, bad.
When I heard Kasabian's first single, "Club Foot", I was hooked. When I heard the rest of the album, I was disappointed, but still worth it. I recently downloaded their sophomore album, and I am horrified. It is very, very bad. It all sounds like a bad remix of their first album with new lyrics. Synth bass on every song, simple drums, synth guitar, uninspired lyrics, and guess what else, synthesizers. All there really is (on the majority of the album) is synth noise. Loud, synthesized noise with monotone lyrics. With most of the songs, I was ready to skip the track, but not because it's bad, but because it goes on too long. If you like it, that's fine, I'm just saying that it's just an expansion of their first album, but worse.
Not like their first but still worthy
Kasabian's self titled first release is one that I found very enjoyable. Some of the tracks I rarely listened to but cuts like "Reason Is Treason," "Cutt Off," and "L.S.F." has this disc continually in moderate to heavy rotation in my car CD collection. The reasons I liked it so much was the use of electronica/keyboards along with great melodies and a real swagger.
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Subjects:  1. Britpop    2. England    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop