I’m sorry, but the only way I could get through the last track, “One Fine Morning,” which is longer than eight minutes, was to keep in mind that it was my duty as a responsible critic. Without Callahan’s vocals, the well-crafted production around these tunes would make a great soundtrack for a movie, but as a centerpiece, these five-minute epics loose my attention less than halfway in. Apocalypse is very slow paced and repetitive nothing grabs you from these seven tracks.
I did find some enjoyable elements, but nothing that changed my mind. It didn’t click for me right off the bat, and was pretty easy to dismiss as bland alt-country, but I gave it a few more chances. It took me awhile to get a read on this record. –Mama Beatzīill Callahan = Nick Cave + Glen Campbell + Leonard Cohen This album is nothing less then what I would expect from Benny and more of a delightful surprise of beautiful collaborations and wonderfully produced tracks.
The way he mixes elements of pop/hip-hop with electro is genius, and by doing so, he’s able to appeal to a much larger crowd while maintaining his underground fan base, especially with bangers like “House Music.” That track sounds like what my feet feel like when dancing, plus with its high-energy synths, you’ll want to throw your hands in the air and exclaim “house music”!!!” Then there are tracks like “All the Way (Live)” featuring the Ying Yang Twins the track is ingenuity at its best, and it takes your ass on a dirty South electro-ride all the way to the floor. Even as an album, Electroman holds the feeling of a mix, with its fluidity in sounds and lyrics. Hard but smooth bass, hypnotizing synths and of course, beautiful vocals from people such as Chris Brown on the mega hit “Beautiful People,” all make appearances on Electroman as Benny shows that his consistency doesn’t end at the turntables. The new album from Benny Benassi is what you would expect from the godfather of electro. –Dylan Chadwickīenny Benassi = Night at the Roxbury + E-40 + MSTRKRFT It has its flaws and it’s a tad long-winded, but it’s much greater, much fresher and much loftier than anyone expected … and that’s a bloody triumph. At times, Noel’s focused presence is missed and Liam’s poetry veers on the clumsy side, but with an all-star cast of musicians behind him (notably Ride’s Andy Bell), cuts like “Wigwam” showcase something soaring and magnificent. Still, it’s never staid, and the group seems noticeably looser, weaving between psyche-drenched espionage (“4 Letter Word”), wheezing blues (“Wind Up Dream”) roiling mod-rock (“Bring the Light”) and Paul-Weller-drunk-on-Champagne-Supernova balladry (“The Morning Son”).
Entire pages pilfered from the British rock canon, rife with Liam Gallagher’s Lennon-esque warbling and teetering on the delicate line separating homage and plagiarism (check the not-so-cryptically titled “Beatles and Stones”), the album carries on like a Gallagher Bros iPod playlist. Simply put, Beady Eye is Oasis minus Noel Gallagher … and it sounds as such. Mosesīeady Eye = Lennon solo + late Oasis + Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy-era Who + The La’s I can’t wait to see what Bass Drum of Death turn out next. As the album nears its end, songs start to blur into one another, but not before the surly charm of GB City sets in. “Nerve Jamming,” “GB City” and “Get Found,” the three opening tracks of the album, buzz with lo-fi guitar, a heavy drumbeat and a loose, jangly style. A dingy, whiskey-soaked sound permeates the 11-track album, which guitarist and lead singer John Barrett recorded himself using a USB microphone and a computer. Although Bass Drum of Death is a relatively new outfit out of Mississippi, this debut LP sounds as if it came from a more seasoned duo. –Mike Abuīass Drum of Death = The Black Keys + Wavves + Nobunnyīass Drum of Death has joined the ranks as one of my new favorite two-piece bands-a coveted position which they now share with the likes of The Kills and the aforementioned Black Keys. Buy this album if you hate me, and hate me if you buy this album. At its best, the album isn’t bad, but it’s rarely at its best at its worst, it’s not bad enough to be entertaining. All the songs were written and played by Annabel Alpers, and although I applaud her efforts, I can’t help but find the record indulgent, self-masturbatory and redundant. The instruments are ridiculous in the blandest way possible, and the vocals are as soothing as a fluorescent lamp. Listening to the record is like being stuck in the waiting room of some awful New Age spa, and like the wait I’m envisioning, these songs go on forever. The first thing that struck me about this spiritual electo-psych band with a synth-pop twist was the complete lack of tangible personality. Bachelorette = Enya + Björk – attitude, style