Handsome Furs' second album is being released today. Short review -- very good album, not quite as good as their debut. There aren't any real downspots on the album and the entire effort plays well throughout, but ultimately, I've heard too much else good from Dan Boeckner to call this one of his best efforts. The fans on the Wolf Parade boards absolutely love it, so don't trust my opinion, because that's all it is. But after the two members of Wolf Parade have dominated my favorite albums of the year for four years running (at #1 or #2 for each of five releases between '05 and '08), this will be the first album that doesn't reach those lofty heights. Fortunately, bandmate Spencer Krug's Swan Lake release looks to continue the streak, but other than the wonderful "Radio Kaliningrad" and "All We Want, Baby, Is Everything" on Face Control, I just didn't fall in love with any of the other tracks on the otherwise strong album.
Possibly on the list of the best albums so far this year is Bell Orchestre's As Seen Through Windows, which is a surprisingly good collection of songs from the Arcade Fire's rhythm section side project. It was released today.
From the forthcoming Fantasies, their 4th full-length, Emily Haines and Metric have released the single "Help, I'm Alive." I haven't heard the entire album yet, but if this song is any indication, it should be really good.
Cursive's followup to 2006's Happy Hollow is being released today, titled Mama, I'm Swollen. I haven't ever been a big fan of the band but I like what I hear on this album. Take a listen.
Bishop Allen appear in the movie Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, which I just watched for the first time this weekend. I'm a huge Michael Cera fan from his days in Arrested Development and Superbad (and to a lesser extent Juno), but while he's fine, the movie itself plays as either poorly edited or written or just very uneven. It's ok, but nothing special, and despite being a movie ostensibly about being current and cool, it seemed oddly stale and tame. It is an indie rock lover's dream, though, as the entire movie revolves around the indie rock loves of the teenage leads and their pursuit of a "secret" concert by the fictional band "Where's Fluffy?" On the soundtrack (and played in the movie) are a who's-who of hip, cool, current indie rock faves Vampire Weekend, Band of Horses, Army Navy, The Real Tuesday Weld, Shout Out Louds, and Devendra Banhart. So that made the movie enjoyable on at least that level, although I wasn't exactly a huge fan of many of the specific songs they selected for the movie (other than the use of the Shout Out Louds "Very Loud" in a key scene). Anyway, Cera's character "Nick" is in a band called The Jerk Offs with two gay guys and they open for Bishop Allen in an early scene in the movie. So bravo to the band for the extra exposure that this movie might garner them. Their third album is being released today.
Also releasing today is another of my favorite albums so far this year, Balmorrhea's All is Wild, All is Silent. But since I got in trouble from the label for posting the incredible "Harm & Boon" several weeks ago, I'm going to avoid posting anything else from them. But if you have the chance, check it out. It really is a great, great post-rock record.
I pretty much agree with your thoughts on Face Control.
I think Plague Park was a more substantial album.
Having said that, I am enjoying Face Control. It's
definitely a fun record and one I enjoy spinning.
Enemy Mine is definitely my fav album so far in 2009.
Posted by: Wayne | March 12, 2009 at 07:06 PM