LEAVE IT: Pete Yorn - Back & Fourth.

This is hard to say, but.... I'm disappointed in Pete Yorn. In the past he has composed some of the most hauntingly perfect tunes I've ever heard (Nightcrawler's "Ice Age," for one), but with his latest album, Back & Fourth, he displays little artistic growth or melodic diversity. And that is not the Yorn I know and love.


As I was listening to the album all the way through for the first time, I had to keep checking back with my CD player to make sure the tracks were progressing and that the album wasn't just one long song. Although he has decided to add a full backing band, each song is strangely like the one preceding it. One could say it's like listening to polka. With that genre it's all polka all the time. With Back & Fourth it's pretty much all moderate band-Americana all the time.

"Don't Wanny Cry," "Paradise Cove," "Close," "Social Development Dance," "Thinking of You," "Country," "Four Years," "Long Time Nothing New." Same song. Annoying.

"Shotgun" and "Last Summer" don't change up the tempo; they just add more drums to make them seem bigger. The album closer, "Rooftop," is a little more mild and cozy, but even it doesn't come close to a true ballad.

Where is the range and variety he used to show? Where is the rebel who experimented with instruments and styles? Where are the quiet who-am-I ballads, mysteriously discomforting political pieces, heartwrenching climactic choruses, and creative life-is-good melodies? I know artists are often known for a certain sound, but come on. Next time, Pete, show me what you got.

LOVE IT: Zee Avi - Zee Avi.

After days and days of humming her music and trying to place her sound, it finally came to me - she's the Malaysian Ingrid Michaelson!!



Plucked from the bowels of YouTube and brought to Jack Johnson's Brushfire Records, this woman has done more to make the ukulele cool again that anyone I've listened to. Her debut self-titled album has all the intimate and sweet imperfectness of homemade ice cream on a Florida summer day.

My personal favorite is "Monty" but every tune is catchy, light, and clever. Her strumming and whisper-singing is gentle and lulling. Definitely experience this CD.

LOVE IT: Mandy Moore - Amanda Leigh.

For a long time, I didn't like Mandy Moore. As soon as I got over my middle school girl/boy pop band phase, I sold all of my Mandy CDs for $2 to Sound Exchange, just to get them out of my sight. Years later, from the TV screen of the Target music section I heard Mandy's voice belting out an amazingly respectful version of Elton John's "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters." Lo and behold, she had broken away from the mainstream and become an artist.


From that moment on she's been back on my CD shelf and in my heart. Her new self-titled album, Amanda Leigh, is even better than her Coverage of well-chosen inspirations. Taking furious notes from her icons, Mandy brings the cleverly-arranged, finger-picking '70s into the 21st Century in a welcome burst of harmony and fun.

"I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of the Week" is light and sassy, which is terrific given that she's crushing some guy's sense of security with vocal harmonies, hand claps, and an organ.

Mandy has said that discovering the singer/singwriters of the '70s has changed the way she hears music, and the deescalating piano chords "Indian Summer" is definitely reminiscent of Elton John. I've never known anyone to actually have been an Indian summer, but the song is so prettily nostalgic that I can overlook that line's confusion and just enjoy the tune.

"Pocket Philosopher" is really quirky and cute, but it seems to belong on a Broadway musical soundtrack rather than on a collection of pop songs. Oddly-placed as it is, however, Harry Nilsson would be most proud.

My favorite song, and coincidentally the only one that really seems like a ripoff, is the ridiculously Cat Stevens-esque "Bug." Several male hummms and beautiful guitar strumming takes me back to my vinyl copy of Tea for the Tillerman. "Longer Boats," anyone?

Despite a few tracks with uncomfortably dissonant melodies, Amanda Leigh is a winner. Hopefully this is just the beginning of Moore wonderfulness to come.

Vetiver: An Anthology of Perfection.

Published on www.gargoyle.flagler.edu - 4.8.09.

I was recently introduced to the Vetiverse, and there’s no turning back. For those of you who don’t know, the Vetiverse encompasses the wildly wonderful San Fransisco indie folk band Vetiver and all its fans. Since their March 23 show at Café Eleven, I’ve attacked the group’s discography with a religious fervor, and, as it happens, I’ve discovered that every song in Vetiver’s collection is a pretty much a masterpiece. Overstatement? Maybe, but not by much.

You’d think a band that pumps out four albums and two EPs (plus world tours) in five years might not really be taking the time to perfect each song before they release it. Au contraire. With each album, Vetiver has experimented and developed and added layer upon layer to my disappointment that they actually existed for so long without my knowing it. In the wake of their fourth LP, Tight Knit, let’s take a look at the history of the band you will probably be obsessed with in about 10 minutes.

2004 – Andy Cabic and his posse unveil their self-titled debut album, much to the delight of indie folk lovers everywhere. “Oh Papa” lulls me into an ethereal stupor so I kind of space out and forget the song is happening. “Farther On” bobs along pleasantly, though the line “bored to tears but dry inside” makes me depressed and thirsty. “Los Parajos del Rio” is in Spanish; I have no idea what Cabic is singing, but it is muy bonita.

2005 – Vetiver releases the EP Between, featuring three studio tracks – an acoustic version of “Been So Long” (to be discussed later), “Save Me a Place” and “Busted” – and two songs recorded at performances. Of the live recordings – although “Belles” is amazing – I prefer “Maureen” because its honesty and shuffling melody hints at early Harry Nilsson (a personal favorite).

2006 – To Find Me Gone is unleashed. One of Vetiver’s best-known songs, “Been So Long,” kicks off the album in a way that says “kick off your shoes and play checkers in a rocking chair at Cracker Barrel.” The melody’s minimalism highlights the group’s penchant for dreamy ambience. Hollow drums and droning electronic tanpura give it a Brad-Pitt-sneaking-into-Tibet feel, while lyrics like “fate has a way of showing you where you belong, oh, it’s been so long” are true and optimistic without being sappily inspirational. The guitar-as-bass on “Idle Ties” is inventive and upbeat; it’s my favorite track if I had to pick one. They whip out a harmonica for the haggard, has-been bandito tale “I Know No Pardon,” which is quiet and sad – reminds me a lot of Hank Williams Jr.’s “Blues Man.”

2008 – Cabic pays homage to 13 of his favorite artists with the album Thing of the Past. Highlights include Bobby Charles’ “I Must Be in a Good Place Now” and Garland Jeffrey’s “Lon Cheney,” for which they finally roll out a piano, an under-utilized instrument on their albums. Vetiver’s take on Derroll Adams’ “Roll On, Babe” is a mix of John Denver, Simon and Garfunkel and the Kinks (sounds weird, but trust me, it works), and Michael Hurley’s “Blue Driver” is a load of fun, like thumping down a dirt road in an old pickup truck. This CD is a great compilation of little-known tunes.

2008 – Fans who couldn’t get enough of Vetiver’s covers got the EP More of the Past, featuring five bonus songs not included on the full-length album. The adaptation of the Wizards’ “See You Tonight” is straight-up 60s mod-rock, unlike any other song they’ve recorded. It’s punchy and electric without being overproduced. The rest of the set consists of twangy rockabilly that’s more bouncy than most of Vetiver’s original work, but it seems Destiny wrote the intimate EP closer, Gordon Bok’s “Hills of Isle Au Haut,” just for Andy Cabic. A traditional campfire fisherman shanty, it is perfectly suited for a voice as smooth and precise as his.

2009 – This brings us up to date, with Vetiver’s latest full-length CD, Tight Knit, released not two months ago. These 10 tracks expand from the group’s twinkly sound and offer a few more up-tempo numbers, like “More of This,” “The Other Side” and “Rolling Sea,” which moseys along like the theme song for a summer road trip. As soon as I heard the triangle and shuffling guitar on “Sister,” all I could hear for the rest of the song was “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King. I like it, but I get too distracted by images of little Jerry O’Connell running and tripping in front of that train, praying he doesn’t die before he hits puberty.

The unfathomable infiniteness of deep space is hard to capture. Even pictures can’t do it justice. The “2001: A Space Odyssey” theme tried, but it’s too epically camp now to be taken seriously. Well, I don’t know how they did it, but Vetiver has somehow penetrated the black abyss with their swarming synths and delicate guitar picking. “Down From Above,” I’m convinced, was written from a galactic hovercraft looking down on Earth. It would be great during a NOVA documentary about the constellations on the disc cover.

Tight Knit closes with “At Forest Edge.” Cabic is obviously referring to a magical forest here, the kind that twinkles with exciting hidden secrets. The sounds swoosh in and out as Cabic “ahs” variations of the melody. Is it just me, or does the rambling, plucking beat remind you of Disney’s “Robin Hood”? It sounds like they’re singing from the other side of the forest and the wind is carrying the echo over to my side. I love it. I listen to it over and over.

In conclusion, pay close attention to Vetiver. They are everything and more.

LOVE IT: Bell X1 - Blue Lights on the Runway.

Published on www.gargoyle.flagler.edu - 3.11.09.

Imagine you are sitting in a window seat on a red-eye flight. As you coast toward the runway to take off, the blue lights of the lane markers come into view. They’re individual dots at first, but then as the plane picks up speed, the little lights blur into one waving, neon streak that acts as a buffer between you and the world that baffles that a 100-ton metal bird can defy gravity. The music you hear in the distance that gets louder and louder above the roar of the engine as you take off? That’s Bell X1.

From the get-go, anyone can tell that Bell X1 is obsessed with imagery and wordplay. Their fourth album’s title alone gives the sense that the band is touching on something deeper, and way cooler, than many of their contemporaries.

Once they take off, they bring their listeners up with them into the clouds; it’s one big party, filled with music so bright and exciting that you can hear the band smiling as they sing. It’s beautiful, ambitious and just plain awesome.

The album bursts through the stereo with the initial drum beats and hand claps of “The Ribs of a Broken Umbrella.” A slightly fuzzy filter on Paul Noonan’s vocals adds a wacky touch that melds perfectly with the bass synth, and the many voices on the chorus make it feel alright to jam along, like chanting summer camp anthems at a bonfire with a group of lifelong pals.

What is this I hear in “A Better Band”? Cow bell? If that alone doesn’t make it terrific, try this line on for size: “The world is bearing down on me like a fisheye lens.” Enjoy.

“Light Catches Your Face” is Bell X1’s contribution to the great tradition of balladry. Noonan’s voice is obviously suited for both belting and whisper-singing. The shuffling guitar and meandering piano create a mood so incredibly intimate and touching, Noonan could surely swoon an ice queen into buying a Hallmark card.

“The Great Defector” is my number one song for spring. It’s bouncing with funkiness, hand claps and twisting metaphors that I’ll gladly take another listen to get. The chorus bangs out synths and organs like nobody’s business, and Noonan’s vocals are sassy and piercing.

Bell X1 is “coming in to land,” but as they do, they tear through the world’s sense of The Norm, begging us to “love the color of it all” and remember that life is supposed to be an adventure. Even if you don’t understand English, these songs will help you understand life.

LOVE IT: kLoB - speed dial: LOVE.

Published on www.gargoyle.flagler.edu - 2.18.09.

Too often a band will start to get lazy once they realize they have a substantial fan base, then it will inevitably smudge slowly into the periphery of music history. Such is definitely not the case for Jacksonville band kLoB, whose relentless enthusiasm for performing tells us that not only do they love their jobs and their fans, but also that they’re not going anywhere. Anywhere but up.

They have performed all over Florida, up the eastern seaboard, and into New York City’s crowded bars and music halls. Their jams stomp through the crowd, creating unity and a happiness to be alive. Try experiencing the bouncy beat of “All the Time” thumping through your brain for four minutes without subconsciously starting to bob your head and hum along. It’s impossible. kLoB is quickly moving up in the industry, and with a great album out, it’s only a matter of time before we start hearing them on national radio.

kLoB front man and namesake Kip Kolb describes the band’s sound as soul music. “That’s where ya feel it,” Kolb said. “In your center. Like when you get nervous, or excited. The songs have a “new familiarity” to them. They don’t sound like the old classics, but they feel like ‘em.’

kLoB’s album, speed dial: LOVE – which the quintet of thirty-somethings recorded in St. Augustine and released independently – has sparked the ears of every hearing person in the eastern U.S., and has certainly garnered them a huge following. Kolb’s favorite part of the biz is obviously performing.

“We will play these songs everywhere, and the people will sing with us,” he said. “Favorites are tough. It feels great to groove on “Of a Story,” and it gets ya goin’ to ride out on “speed dial: LOVE.” “Parting Gift” feels great. They all do. Each one does something different to ya. “All the Time” gets people singing – loud. That feels so good.”

Kolb’s voice, which sounds like a Tom Waits-Randy Newman hybrid, blasts and croons its way through the 12 awesome, uniquely saucy tracks of speed dial: LOVE. The band has been together, more or less, for 10 years, and their friendship and easygoing natures come through in each song. They sync as a musical unit so well because they get on so well as friends.

“We have grown like a very healthy and beautiful weed,” Kolb said. “We’re all men. We love each other. Friends. A family. When Louie LeClaire joined the band, he slid right in. Sense of humor, work ethic, dedication, attention to detail, whiskey drinker. Easy. Same with Mike Bowman.

“They are all fantastic people and we all get along. Pickin’ on each other, keepin’ each other in line. On the road, it’s a party. No bickering. At my age (36), that’s how it would have to be. Everything clicks well.”

Life, death, memories, mental calisthenics, weirdness, and happiness course through the veins of kLoB’s music. In the song “3 Cats,” Kolb sings, “You really gotta love what you love with all the love that you got and shine thankful for every day.”

This seems a fitting outlook for a band members who clearly love what they do.

“We’re already a success,” Kolb said. “Watching the fan base grow so quick, and with so much passion, has been extremely exciting. The Big Label thing is out there. If they let us play these songs the way we need to and in front of all the people, no problem. But I’m not adding dancers and DJs so we can be ‘hip.’”

Hip or not, kLoB is a powerful experience, so get their CD and see them live before you die.

For more information on kLoB, their random capitalized letters, and their show schedule, visit www.klobsong.com.

LOVE IT: The Killers - Day & Age.

Published on www.gargoyle.flagler.edu - 1.28.09.

The thumping glitter of the Killers’ fourth album will reverberate and sparkle inside your head until you can’t get the songs out of it. Day & Age is more than just another mentionable addition to the band’s repertoire. It is a marvelously written and beautifully orchestrated beacon of hope for the previously dismal future of music.

“Human” features some of the most interesting synth, drum and string combinations produced for mainstream radio in recent years. Lead vocalist and lyricist Brandon Flowers’ words are funky, mystical and, as usual, a little confusing. If anyone knows what “Are we humans or are we dancers” means, please let me know. Maybe they’re trying to say that “when we dance we’re superhuman.” But the melody is timeless and unforgettable. And boy, does the group know how to work a hook. I’ve been humming that one confusing line over and over for weeks.

The Killers have always been upfront about their devotion to shimmery Eurobands of yesteryear, such as David Bowie and Duran Duran, but with “Spaceman” they officially time travel to a dance floor in the 1980s. Synths bang out the melodies, sounds weave in and out of each other, and I can feel the techno lights bounce off my closed eyes as I superhumanly dance with a happily inexpressible feeling that no other modern music creates.

The rest of the album is eclectic and all over the world map, but each song blends with the next, and always eventually returns to the group’s core belief in a beautiful, hummable melody and in mysteriously infectious dancability. The island syncopation of “I Can’t Stay” and the Oriental flare of “Neon Tiger” sound perfectly content as track buddies 7 and 8.

While the seven-minute “Goodnight, Travel Well” sounds like it was penned by the Grim Reaper, and seems an oddly dark ending to a furiously upbeat and exciting album, it just goes to show that the Killers are always one-upping the status quo. I’ve heard complaints that the Killers overproduce their tracks. Too many instruments, too much sound. Who are these people? I hope we’re not friends. How would the Killers be the Killers any other way? Their ambitious songs need room to explode and show listeners their enormous potential. And no Killers explosion has been bigger – or better – than Day & Age.

Holiday Music.

Published on www.gargoyle.flagler.edu - 12.4.08.

Tis the season for the obligatory holiday-themed CD. It seems almost every recording artist has produced one at some point or another. Get yours now, because after December 25, it is très faux pas to blast “Frosty the Snowman” from your car stereo. Just don’t do it. This year there’s a very eclectic mix, sure to please the holiday lover in everyone.

Various Artists – We Wish You a Metal Xmas…And A Headbanging New Year: For those of you who’d rather go caroling in a moshpit, this is a must-have. Get: “Run Rudolph Run” by Dave Grohl, Lemmy Kilmister and Billy Gibbons. It’s a lot of fun, and much less embarrassing to listen to than the Hanson version. Avoid: A laugh-inducing screamo version of “Silent Night” by Chris Wyse, Chuck Billy, Scott Ian, Jon Donais and John Tempesta.

Melissa Etheridge – A New Thought For Christmas: The guitar picking and warm vocals let Etheridge’s original tracks blend perfectly with well-known tunes to add a fresh, personal feel to the season of holiday repeats. Get: The stirring romp “Christmas in America.” Avoid: “Light a Light.” It’s just a little too hokey.

Various Artists – The Hotel Café Presents Winter Songs: A Christmas estrogen fest the likes of which have never before been compiled onto one disc. An excellent assortment of beloved classics and originals performed by up-and-coming female artists. Get: “Winter Song” by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson. It’s dainty and beautiful. Winter set to music. Avoid: “White Christmas” by Katy Perry, which sounds like she recorded it in an empty nightclub after taste-testing too much eggnog.

Stephen Colbert – A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift Of All!: Featuring several diverse guest artists, America’s favorite comedy genius has just proved that he can do anything. Someday he’ll sweep Broadway off its feet. Get: “Can I Interest You In Hannukah?” with Jon Stewart. Avoid: “Nutmeg” with John Legend. It’s clever, but it gets old after a while.

There you have it. Get out there and enjoy this holiday season. Hopefully these songs will get you into the spirit. This kind of magical happiness only comes around once a year.

*graphic by TT.

LOVE IT: Landon Pigg - Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop EP.

Published on www.gargoyle.flagler.edu - 11.5.08.

Who is Landon Pigg? Ashton Kutcher’s body double? Maybe. My favorite artist of November? You betcha. If you’re looking for some quiet music to close your eyes and be introspective to in this chilly Fall season, you’ve found it. Enjoy.

Within thirty seconds of “Falling in Love in a Coffee Shop,” I guarantee you will be asking, “Where are you Landon Pigg? What coffee shop are you talking about? I’ll be right there!” His voice is so soothing and warm, I just want to snuggle up in it.

The second of the EP’s five songs is a reworked version of “Great Companion” from Pigg’s 2006 debut LP called LP. The original was terrific in its own right, but this slower and more honest-feeling version seems much more fitting, the way it ought to have been written in the first place. I’ve found that, usually, an acoustic song stripped of unnecessary glitter gets straight to its personal and emotional aspect, and this song sure delivers a quiet, heartwrenching whammy. Good stuff.

“Can’t Let Go” is also from Pigg’s LP and has been appearing all over television for the past two years. Name any guy-missing-his-girlfriend scenario on any show and you’ve probably heard this song. Just when I was starting to get annoyed with its over-coverage, here comes the best acoustic version of any song ever. Pigg has again removed all excess flash and electronic noise from his hit single, and has made it a hard-hitting, meaningful weeper. I think I would feel a lot more sorry for McDreamy if he was missing Grey’s anatomy to this.

Pigg’s acoustic take on Frank Sinatra’s classic ballad “Young at Heart” is wonderfully original. The understated guitar, shaker and string arrangement brings out the preciousness of the lyrics, reminding the listener that really, truly “life gets more exciting with each passing day” when you’re young at heart.

The final song, “Magnetismo” is a saucy Spanish twist on his LP song “Magnetism.” Sung entirely en Español, Pigg gives this version a laid back, casual feel that rivals the original.

Put Landon Pigg’s EP on when the weather finally gets colder, sip hot chocolate and challenge your roommate to a game of high-stakes Jenga. It’ll make your afternoon, I promise.

The Candidates' Playlists.

Published on www.gargoyle.flagler.edu - 8.16.08.

Is there anyone out there by now who doesn’t know who the two presidential candidates are? I seriously doubt it.

But I also seriously doubt that most people know who the two presidential candidates are. Music taste can say a lot about a person.

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is obviously a tunes-lovin’ man.

He credits R&B legend Stevie Wonder as a major inspiration, and has shaken his groove thing on Ellen Degeneres’ show.

However, one wonders what the senator jams to in the privacy of his iPod. I did not have the pleasure of asking Mr. Obama what is on his personal playlist, so here’s what the big whigs at Blender got out of him:

1. Fugees- “Ready Or Not”
2. Marvin Gaye- “What’s Going On”
3. Bruce Springsteen- “I’m On Fire”
4. Rolling Stones- “Gimme Shelter”
5. Nina Simone- “Sinnerman”
6. Kanye West- “Touch The Sky”
7. Frank Sinatra- “You’d Be So Easy To Love”
8. Aretha Franklin- “Think”
9. U2- “City Of Blinding Lights”
10. will.i.am- “Yes We Can”

For the most part, Republicans have a hard time gaining coolness points.

Many Americans view them as money-loving religious extremists who hate polar bears. And as ice cold as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is (Get it? Batman? Yeah, I’ve tried to forget that, too.), it may be presidential candidate John McCain’s music playlist that does the trick to further the hip factor of the GOP.

Sure it’s old-school, but so is he. At least there’s no Lawrence Welk. Take a look at this:

1. ABBA- “Dancing Queen”
2. Roy Orbison- “Blue Bayou”
3. ABBA- “Take A Chance On Me”
4. Merle Haggard- “If We Make It Through December”
5. Dooley Wilson- “As Time Goes By”
6. The Beach Boys- “Good Vibrations”
7. Louis Armstrong- “What A Wonderful World”
8. Frank Sinatra- “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”
9. Neil Diamond- “Sweet Caroline”
10. The Platters- “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”

I don’t know about you, but I’m honestly torn. I love will.i.am but I’m also the biggest ABBA nerd ever.

If Obama and McCain could maybe put aside their differences and focus on their mutual love of Frank Sinatra, the world would be a happy place.
I hope you don’t let this new musical information sway your vote this November. Though, I for one will be voting to change the national anthem to “Dancing Queen.” Who’s with me?

*graphic by TT.

LOVE IT: Ne Yo - Year of the Gentleman.

Published on www.gargoyle.flagler.edu - 7.24.08.

I’ve never been much of an R&B fan. Usher can keep his “Confessions” and Chris Brown can keep on writing songs about “Forever” that are interchangeable as hit singles and gum commercial ditties. But Ne-Yo can croon me ‘til the cows come home.

His new album, Year of the Gentleman, is one of the most grabbing hours of music ever to grace my ear canal. Expanding from his previous two albums, Ne-Yo has produced a set of 13 unique songs that are certain to solidify his prominence in the R&B world.

I first heard and saw “Miss Independent” on a mall TV turned to BET, and I was immediately drawn in. When I close my eyes I imagine a flurry of flashing black-lights and lots of United Colors of Benetton models jumping and posing to the beat. The lyrics are a well-deserved shout-out to all the ladies who “move like a boss/do what a boss do.” It’s nice to know some guys appreciate a girl who has the power to fire them.

In the hit single “Closer,” Ne-Yo is having trouble breaking away from an attractive lady in a club. “She’s the sweetest taste of sin/the more I get the more I want/she wants to own me/she says come closer” is the general outline, and when he says “I just can’t stop” he sure means it; he repeats the phrase 52 times. Repetitive, but enjoyable.

“Single” features lyrics like “I’ll be your boyfriend for the next few minutes” and “just pretend that I’m your man tonight” set to a lovely mesh of “whoas” and slow-jam techno. Somebody hit replay.
Now I know what they’re talking about when they compare Ne-Yo to Michael Jackson. Listen to the beat, weaving piano and harmonizing backing vocals of “Stop the World” and tell me if it doesn’t throw you back to “Free Willy” and Jackson’s “Will You Be There.”

“Why Does She Stay?” is the one obligatory annoying track. He sings about being lazy and selfish, while spacey lasers sway in and out, and every two beats there’s a weird distant bang/clap that throws my attention off Ne-Yo’s sultry self-deprecation. I skip over it except whenever I want to pretend I’m in an interplanetary cocktail lounge.

The rest of Ne-Yo’s Year is bouncing with love for ladies, life and music. Thoroughly recommended.

LOVE IT: R.E.M. - Accelerate.

Published on www.gargoyle.flagler.edu - 4.15.08.

What do R.E.M. and breathing have in common?

There is nothing like a good beat, perfectly-woven melodies, and meaningful lyrics to prepare me to take on a 12-page paper or a particularly dull five-hour shift at a job a 3-year-old could do.

With such chart-topping previous hits as “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?,” and “Losing My Religion,” it’s not hard to see that Michael Stipe, Peter Buck and Mike Mills of R.E.M. have mastered their craft impeccably. I can’t imagine not having them in my life.

There’s no question as to who three of the legends of modern rock are. The trio was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and 14 albums in, they’ve still got it. Granted, a few of their more recent CDs haven’t been up to snuff—critically panned, actually—but their latest, Accelerate, is top-notch and is already wowing critics and fans.

Even before the album’s release on April 1, R.E.M.’s new single, “Supernatural Superserious,” had me pumped. Those 30-second clips on iTunes never seem to satisfy my ilk of album anticipators, so I jumped on the CD on release day–crossing my fingers that the clips had correctly hinted at R.E.M.’s glorious return to successful music-making–and was immediately filled with renewed excitement and admiration for R.E.M.’s undeniable talent.

From the very beginning jamming chords of the album, one can tell that the R.E.M. sound is back. “Sing for the Submarine” and “Mr. Richards” are two of the most well-written, real songs in a long time. Nothing can top the random awesomeness of their 1988 hit “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine),” but most of the songs here give it a decent run for its money.

Punchy, guitar-driven jams fill the tracks, with political and social commentary at the forefront of their lyrics. They always seem to want to know what’s going on, then when they find out, they’re not happy about it. Such is life.

Each of Accelerate’s eleven tracks finds the band focusing on writing music that reminds their audience how great they can be. It is a fabulous reminder of the classic R.E.M. you can’t help but love.

LOVE IT: Nada Surf - Lucky.

Published on www.gargoyle.flagler.edu - 3.19.08.

What do you mean you’ve never heard of Nada Surf? They were really “Popular” in the 90s, remember? Get it? “Popular?” They’ve been around since most of us were learning to read, taking their sweet time under the radar, honing their indie-pop rock craft into Lucky, the magnum opus fifth album they released in February.

You may be thinking, “Magnum opus? Really?” If you haven’t followed Nada Surf’s musical journey, you won’t understand how truly great it is. Their long struggle with record labels to get a U.S. audience has matured them into a group that only serious music listeners can appreciate. To an undiscerning ear, they may sound like your average guy rock group on the surface, but their lyrics and melodies are far better than anything played on pop radio. This is no Good Charlotte, folks.

The album’s opener, “See These Bones,” subtly warns wide-eyed, idealist bands of how easy it is to be sucked under by the music machine. However melancholy the lyrics, including the lines “look alive/ see these bones/ what you are now/ we were once/ and just like we are/ you’ll be dust,” Nada Surf’s catchy hooks make it all somehow uplifting.

“Whose Authority” is the Lucky single that will hopefully put the band back on the U.S. map. Europe has gotten to have Nada Surf almost solely to itself, and now it’s our turn again. Granted, their closest gig to St. Augustine will be Washington, D.C., and if I had an extra $700 for a plane ticket, cab fare, hotel and a front row ticket stub, I’d be so there.

My favorite is track three, “Beautiful Beat.” It’s upbeat and deliciously flows from macabre to uplifting in its finger-snapping four minutes. Lead singer Matthew Caws has affirmed an idea I’ve been saying for years: real music gets under your skin, and can make any crappy situation terrific.

The rest of the album continues to prove how much Nada Surf continues to evolve, which is why I love them and you should too. Lucky is nothing particularly revolutionary, but it’s heartfelt music at its best, and if you dig Nada Surf, check out Guster and other similarly wonderful musical geniuses.

What? Who’s Guster? You have so much to learn.

LOVE IT: "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street."

Published on www.gargoyle.flagler.edu - 2.12.08.

“Sweeney Todd” is more than a musical. Way more. It is a slasher flick and epic gore fest with wicked songs and a waltz thrown in.

Johnny Depp has come a long way since “21 Jump Street,” and proves his acting – and singing – worth once again as the titular demon barber who picks the scariest place on earth to have a barber shop. In traditional Tim Burton fashion, this film exceeds expectation in his usual realm of the fancifully sinister. This is by far the most disturbing, dark, and psychotic movie he’s ever made.

Unjustly imprisoned by a lecherous judge – Alan Rickman in a surprisingly decent singing role – who craves his wife, vengeful barber Benjamin Barker changes his name and wardrobe and returns to Fleet Street 15 years later, singing his way to payback and eating the worst pies in London, provided by downstairs neighbor Mrs. Lovett – the creepy-as-ever Helena Bonham-Carter – who harbors her own special affection for Mr. T.

Sacha Baron Cohen makes an appearance as an Italian rival barber whose hilarious solo during a shaving contest is the high note, pun intended, of his performance.

This is a riveting, terrifying take on Stephen Sondheim’s 1979 twisted stage musical. The songs are delightfully demented. “A Little Priest” and “My Friends” are the most cringe-worthy and memorable. Who knew murder could be so entertaining? You’ll certainly be humming after the movie while scanning the parking lot for anyone with straight razors or a killer glare in your direction.

If you can get past the blood, the fact that Sweeney Todd obviously goes to the same hairdresser as Cruella de Vil, cannibalism, and grisly shaving accidents set to an elaborate score, then you’ve been warned and “Sweeney Todd” is for you. If not, go see “Alvin and the Chipmunks.”

Rated R for graphic bloody violence; 117 minutes.

LEAVE IT: Deborah Harry - Necessary Evil.

Published on www.gargoyle.flagler.edu - 11.5.07.

Hmm. I’m not sure what Debbie is thinking. She waits a gruesome 14 years to come out with another album, and then crushes me cripplingly with it. How can she do it to me? When I heard that the face and voice of the iconic punk rock mega-group Blondie was releasing her fifth solo album I’ll admit I was first in line, thinking, “Yes! Oh my gosh, yes! Debbie’s back and she’ll be incredible!”


But oh my gosh, no. No way. I am so downhearted to have to report that our beloved Dirty Harry should’ve stayed out of the studio, because what I found upon an initially exuberant listen to Necessary Evil was nothing short of painful disappointment. I know you’re just as dumbfounded by this monstrosity as I, but let me assure you that the basis for this earth-shattering shock is legitimate.

Deb opens up with her album’s first single, “Two Times Blue.” This wouldn’t be so bad (it almost harkens back to vintage Blondie) except for the fact that about twenty seconds in to the song she opens her mouth and something just isn’t right. I cringe and it hits me. Aaah! She sounds like she hasn’t had a decent vocal lesson since the good old days when she was famous. The woman is 62 now, I get it, but she and her mysteriously non-wrinkled face has aged gracefully like, say, Joan Rivers or Annette Funicello (who has realized her potential and now makes teddy bears). The nasal funkiness that worked for Debbie in her prime has turned against her and she sounds like she’s trying too hard to reach notes. Not a good sign for what ensues.

“School for Scandal” is in session in track two. There comes a point in time when it is no longer appropriate to sing about educational facilities, be they for learning how to maximize the emotional detriment of others or otherwise. And that is when you haven’t actually been inside a classroom for nearly half a century. That’s all I can say before I start bawling.

I am thoroughly convinced that track three’s title isn’t “If I Had You” like it says on the track-listing; it’s actually “Somebody Please Just Pull My Hair Out Right Now So I Can Drown Out This Alley-Cat Serenade With My Screams.” This sounds harsh. And it is, but look: if you wrote and tried to perform a song that even Avril Lavigne would throw out because of its blatant disregard for musical merit (juicy, heartfelt lyrics include “I can’t stop your eyes from saying things we already knew/ so look at me and tell me what to do”) you would need to hear the barefaced truth, too.

The rest of the album follows suit. Fourteen songs that range from ridiculous, with the totally anti-Harry hip-hop bummer “Dirty N Deep,” to downright awkward when she tries to play serious with “What Is Love,” leave me confused and upset. I hope to goodness that Deborah Harry does not honestly “text ‘til the end of time.” Picture Mary Catherine Gallagher wailing karaoke to an already-shameful Cheetah Girls hit (not without choreography, of course) and you have the new, improved Deborah Harry.

I recently saw a picture of Blondie performing in Thetford, England, and with her hair slicked back I swear she looked just like a squinting Hillary Clinton in an odd, futuristic metallic Velour jacket. She had both arms raised up and I thought she was giving a campaign speech. But no, she was trying to rock out and prove to us die-hards that she’s still edgy and cool. She’s no successfully-old Joni Mitchell, I’m afraid; she instead brings to mind a mentally-fifteen grandmother trying to win over The Hoff on America’s Got Talent. I really do hate to be scathing to my (now former) inspiration, but some things just don’t get better with age. And this is one Necessary Evil that sure isn’t.