If It's Tuesday, It Must Be Street Date: 3/9/10

Welcome to Indie Hell!




BESNARD LAKES- BESNARD LAKES ARE THE ROARING NIGHT

Here's what Amazon says:
The Besnard Lakes Are the Roaring Night calls upon the influence of ELO and finer parts of the Alan Parsons Project in its orchestration. Still helped by ghosts of Beach Boys past, the album is more Dennis Wilson than Brian, and more Peter Green Fleetwood Mac than Lindsay Buckingham.

Here's what I say:
If you've ever listened to and liked, even a little bit, ELO, Alan Parsons, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac or Dennis Wilson's Beach Boys tunes, you will hate this. Sorry but, just singing harmony doesn't make you the Beach Boys any more than owning a spatula makes you a chef. This is the usual, over-hyped, indie-crap that makes my blood boil and whoever wrote that blurb of lies for Amazon should personally apologize to all mentioned in the comparison.







BROKEN BELLS-BROKEN BELLS

Apparently the most anticipated record of the year (?), Danger Mouse meets James Mercer of the painfully overrated snooze-kings, The Shins, for what all those Twittering twits are thinking could be the next Gnarls Barkley. (I can't believe I said, "The next Gnarls Barkley"...or Twittering twits.) At least more listenable than the Besnard Lakes, this ersatz disguised as pop music, is harmless electro-pop, full of third rate hooks and first rate hype and not a "Crazy" to be found. (I can't take it anymore.)







CHIEFTAINS- SAN PATRICIO (FEATURING RY COODER)

Linda Ronstadt, Van Dyke Parks, and Lila Downs are just some of the artists lending their voices to this wonderful collaboration bonding the music of Ireland and Mexico. The legendary Chieftains, along with musical mastermind Ry Cooder have created something truly unique and special.







FRIGHTENED RABBIT- WINTER OF MIXED DRINKS

I don't know. I...I...I don't know. Make it stop.







GORILLAZ - PLASTIC BEACH

With more special guests than a sweeps week episode of "Coach," Damon Albarn's always interesting dub-hop group delivers in a big way after a 5 year lay off. Lou Reed, Bobby Womack, Mick Jones & Paul Simonon, the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Mos Def and De La Soul will keep you on your toes, if only to find an actual song amidst this collection of admittedly catchy collection of non-songs, textures, soundbites and beats.








JIMI HENDRIX- VALLEYS OF NEPTUNE
My full review can be found at Altercation. (Worth checking out. This CD is actually full of great music.)









MILES KUROSKY- THE DESERT OF SHALLOW EFFECTS

Solo record from the leader of Beulah. (Yay?)






PAVEMENT- QUARANTINE THE PAST: THE BEST OF PAVEMENT
I still can't believe these guys sold out 4 nights in Central Park, 8 months in advance. Here they are anthologized on this mid-priced 23 track collection.

(It's about now I am starting to break into a cold sweat, wishing I was back in Sheepshead Bay, listening to Pink Floyd, Peter Frampton and Black Sabbath. )