I decided to review four LPs today, so one would assume I hit some tracks on these albums that I would really dig. Well, it was not to be. There was almost nothing worthy of note on these records and I'm officially falling asleep as we speak. The only thing keeping me awake at this point is the extreme surprise that all of these records received stellar reviews from various sites and publications. What were they thinking? Or am I really that off base?
Real Estate - Atlas: By two minutes into this album, I was bored. Before I listened to this album, I was unaware that there was such thing as adult contemporary chill indie rock. Just the same way that I didn't know that there was such thing as adult contemporary "doom gaze" before I listened to Alcest's new LP earlier this year. There is almost nothing worthy of note about this album. The first two minutes of "Had to Hear" are somewhat sweet. "April's Song" is nice insofar as there are no boring vocals to distract me from the almost adequate instrumental - again, the song is somewhat sweet. The rest of the offerings here really do bore me into a half-coma. I'm almost too sleepy to write this review. I can't be bothered to see if the lyrics have anything politically interesting to say, I'll pass out mid-read. - 4/10
Nothing - Guilty of Everything: I almost wrote this album off until I read some of their lyrics and the lead vocalist's story. The lyrics are occsionally cringeworthy - they carry the darkness of Have a Nice Life but in an often far too melodramatic way to be good taste- "Brother/Swan in the Sun and Fire/Heavy/The World's So Heavy." They also have no political import, which is surprising considering what the lead vocalist has been through. The words are also buried in the mix below distored power chords - which is occasionally annoying, but I shouldn't excpect anything different off a straight-up shoegaze record. The guitars can often be boring - the leads are nothing special. The instrumentals in general don't strike me as anything a college band couldn't do. But still, there is some passion here especially evident on "Endlessly," "Somersault," and "Get Well." If you're a shoegaze fan, I think LP is worth a listen. - 5.5/10
Beck - Morning Phase: "Cycle" would be a nice opening to most any rock record. Some beautiful strings - this intro could lead anywhere. ...And it leads to an album that is almost as boring as Atlas. I think most of this record flatlined. It's like putting a new piece of gum in your mouth and having it taste like nothing. There are a few tracks that I like here - I love the strings on "Cycle" and "Wave" and I really like the song "Turn Away" - it sounds like a Simon & Garfunkel or maybe even a Fleetwood Mac song with more lyrical depth. Besides these few tracks, however, I really feel nothing except tired when I listen to this album. Maybe I'm missing something, but I highly doubt it. - 4.5/10
Posse - Soft Opening: After listening to the Real Estate album, I really didn't think that things could get anymore boring. Posse's album Soft Opening shoots that thesis right out of the water. I don't think that there is actually a single song that is worthy of any note here. Lethargic vocals, forgettable lyrics, boring, boring, boring. This LP is deprived of anything of interest. I think Rick Ro$$'s album at least kept my interest during certain featured verses and a song or two. Even Real Estate's full-length had one or two decent tracks. This album doesn't have either going for it. Don't even bother. - 2/10 (and that's generous)
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