Supermodel - Foster the People

So the last review was so I could clear up space on my iPod, and now I want to clear up a review that's just been sitting and doing nothing for two years. Plus last night I did get some shit done, so why not do this today. This is the second album by Foster the People. This is supposed to be a concept album about, basically, the negative aspects of society. The tracks I've heard off this so far show progression, which is always a good thing. But then once I kinda started this review I was like..... There's a reason it's taken so long to do #boring. So I decided to break up the album over a number of other tracks to "cleanse" my pallet rather than another front to back listen.

1. Are You What You Want To Be?: I like the island influence in this song and thing it's pretty decent. It reminds me a little of The Police. It's nowhere near as good as them, but it's okay. There is a part where they cry and it reminds me of Il Buono, Il Brutto, Il Cattivo. I hope you know what I mean? Oh just to be clear, it isn't as good as the original :D. Now coming back to this album to review it, I am very much fear ful for that introduction. It's almost as if I was getting ready for a cringe. I still can tolerate the reggae vibe of the tune, but this isn't that good, and I'm pretty sure I have more of this waiting for me. It's not as bad as Let Me Be, but it's not good IMO. I hear theses little flourishes but I mean it's anything I can't here elsewhere and done better or more interesting. Like I feel like this is trying to engage you or suck you into the the song. Kinda of like a video game, I can't think of the word, but this doesn't pull me in and make me forget I'm listen to a pop song.
2. Ask Yourself: This opens okay, I mean it isn't the best but it isn't offensive. There is a reason that this kind of reminds me of The Cure (I should do a Cure review) if they were popier. Like maybe this comparison will be bad, but maybe Friday I'm in Love (but stripped of what makes it a solid tune). There's also a bit of a Coldplay feeling.
3. Coming Of Age: Holy fuck this intro reminds me of CP. You know, this is an okay song, but nothing I'ven't heard before. The vocals and what not just make me think of any other indie band I know. I do like the electronics and may return to this track once in a blue moon, but you know it's nothing I'd listen to like MGMT or St. Vincent along some others. The singing reminds me a ton of Mylo Xyloto, and the intro sounds like it could have been on that album. I really have taken nothing away from this track.
4. Nevermind: Nice acoustic guitar, but really I can't remember a single thing that happened during and while I was listening to the track. Kinda trippy, but I'd rather listen to Freak Out!. It's like they watered songs down. The ending reminds me of something but I don't care enough to remember.
5. Psuedologia Fantastica: This track reminds me a little of MGMT with the use of electronics. It actually makes me think of Alien Days if it was written back in their 2008 or earlier days. The electronic kind of reminds me of Siberian Breaks too, but not as cool. This title fits this odd song, but you know I've heard better song in this style than that and may hurt my outlook the song. Maybe The Handshake or another Oracular Spectacular track. Though I think this is cooler than Pumped Up Kicks and shows progression artistically, It just doesn't drag me in. I wish the song would have ended with those piano chords, like had them play over the solo of sorts. That would have been cool. The white noise fade is effective, but I still think that track was a little long. And by a little long it gets kinda boring, I mean the piano works but still. I don't know.
6. The Angelic Welcome of Mr. Jones: Well this is an interlude that really does nothing at the end of the day. I mean I get the point, but I don't think it really adds to anything. 
7. Best Friend: This is the first song that I heard off this album. It reminds me, vocal harmony wise, of Duran Duran a la The Reflex or Notorious. The horns remind me a little of Notorious. This is a pretty decent track the first time though. You can also dance to this song, which also reminds me of DD. This also reminds me of The Black Keys off maybe Turn Blue. Also not really feeling the sentiment of this song, I mean I don't need to be told to look out for strung out friends.
8. A Beginners Guide to Destroying the Moon: I don't care for this title. I don't know why, maybe because it reminds me of Dark Side of the Moon and A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson. Actually the vocals remind me of Say Anything at points. That's really all I have to say, I mean it's not terrible, but it's not to great. I feel like if you have a title like this you should do something tongue and cheek, not stupid.
9. Goats in Trees: This must be about The Mountain Goats covering Rush songs. It's weird, that last song wasn't terrible, but this is just like I don't even want to listen to this anymore. Like I mean, nice acoustic guitar but that's all I can take from this, and the VanWyngarden sounding vocals.
10. The Truth: "of Life", well if you've come to find that I'll let you in on a secret. "The only truth in life is right here in this bottle. Infact, I'd rather have this bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy!". Points to anyone who gets that overly long and pointless reference. Actually there was a reference within the original, so it's like a reference inception. Oh this songs kinda boring, I had far more fun typing this. I mean I like the Handshake-ness but that doesn't mean I'll ever return to it.
11. Fire Escape: This kinda reminds me of a less tormented Elliott Smith. But with other people doing the harmonies with him.

Overall I have to give this album a 4/10. Foster have grown, but they haven't done anything that make them stick out. They have a lot of interesting things on here that remind me of things I love. They don't have anything that makes them stick out and make me love them. There are other artists who are ballsy like MGMT, St. Vincent, Radiohead this band is more in line Coldplay who have evolved, but somehow don't take extreme chances. I can't stress how little I have interest in returning or even remembering this record. Maybe I should do another Red Hot Chili Pepper's album, and also Chicago's second album too.

Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper

So, as with all the others this month I am getting rid of some old album and trying to de clutter the  drafts folder. Logically, most of these albums this month wont get super amazing scores (in part to my lack of anything to say, also because why it took so long). I already heard this album, and I liked enough of it to do a review of it. This is the fourth solo album by Panda Bear, member of Animal Collective. I have heard his Mr. Noah Ep before this review, which I might just review, and also I've heard AC's 2012 album Centipede Hz. There were enough stuff on there for me to everntually want to check out the rest of their solo and collective stuff.

1. Sequential Circuits: This opens the album, and to be honest, it's sort of heavenly. I mean not in the way that I'd want it to be (but that could be intentional). I mean this kind of has a sort of water sound, and sounds like it'd be a good intro. The only problem is it's like 3 in a half minutes long. I mean it does go by fast, but still. It isn't terrible, I just wish it was shorter maybe. But again that's a personal thing, I do think it works as is though.
2. Mr. Noah: This is a track that was released on an Ep back in November. I didn't review it because j though it was just okay. I may review the Ep but I also may not. I do think this is a good follow up, it sounds like he sampled dogs whimpering and the Pod Racers flying by. I do think that's pretty cool. I think this is kind of a bit of a mess when the song starts, but I do at least enjoy this mess. I mean I like it, but I don't think it's amazing.
3. Davy Jone's Locker: This song kind of went by I didn't even notice it the first time.
4. Crosswords: This song has a nice feeling to it. Again nothing spectacular, just kind of pleasant. 
5. Butcher Baker Candlestick Maker: Okay, at this point I've kind of lost my intrest in this overall sound
6. Boys Latin: For whatever reason, I feel this song is gay. Like really, as in homosexual. Maybe it's because of the Filmworks with the gay Latinos males, but I don't know. Also I mean, the words he's speaking could be another language, but I don't really think it's as cool as it should be. I don't know, like it said the charm of the albums gone at this point.
7. Come To Your Senses: This beat sort of reminds me of the "Oh Danny Boy, Danny Boy" section of I Get Knocked Down. Or whatever the name of the song is :) I mean not exactly, but sort of a variation maybe. Not terrible, but again sort of goes in one ear and out the other.
8. Tropic of Cancer: This is by far the best song here. It's so simple, but it's so heavenly it the way it sounds. If I'm not mistaken, this uses a I-vi-IV-V progression. I might be wrong, it might be a variation, but is sure sounds very doowop progression to me. It sounds like it's being arpeggiated on a harp and it's so gorgeous. The vocals just add to an atmosphere that makes me feel as though I'm waking though the pearly gates. This track alone is worth checking out the album for. Oh, I guess the harp is a sample of a the Nutcracker Suite Pas de Deux.
9. Shadow of Colossus: I don't really know what to say.
10. Lonely Wanderer: The beginning of this song starts out with this kind of heavenly feeling After that it goes into a sole piano. The was the piano sounds it reminds me very much so of Eisley's album Currents, the track in mind I have is Drink The Water.
11. Principe Real: Again, not half bad its just I ran out of things to say.
12. Selfish Gene: This  is a pretty fun track. I mean it's nothing but fun none the less.
13. Acid Wash: This is a great closer and just kind of feels like it completes this. I like the swirl, I just wish that would have ended the song, like the first one.

Overall I have to give this album a 5/10. While this album starts just ok for me it eventually picks up steam and has some great tracks I really like. Do I think it's steam continues for the rest of the album? No. Do I feel that this album is worth buying a CD of? Possibly. One thing I know for sure is i still need to check Merriweather Post Pavillion.  But really I mean, this isn't half bad. It's just not mind blowing or amazing really to me. To be honest, I'd play this as background music. 

Lego My Ego - Mercury Rev

So basically, I'm not expecting that Blackstar review to be complete until at least March. So yeah, this is the bonus Ep released with the 1992 re-release of Mercury Rev's 1991 debut album Yerself Is Steam. This was one of the first albums I added to the site for review. It wasn't until recently that I started the review. I hadn't even listened to this until this review. Considering how I needed some 90's reviews, I decided why not do this Ep. It's been sitting around, plus I really liked their Car Wash Hair single, thought I consider it more of an EP. Also, look at that girl, she's gorgeous. This could almost be screen shot from a Jess Franco film..... almost. Though if anyone knows where this photo is from, or who the model is I'd be ecstatic if you'd let me know. I'm serious.

1. If You Want Me To Stay: This is a cover of the Sly & The Family Stone track. And if I'm being honest I like it. This opening reminds me of something that I'd hear Mike Patton doing. I'm 100% serious right now. Once it goes into the song I think the do a solid cover of the track. There are voices and things here that remind me of Mr. Bungle (in a good way). This is one of the funniest funk covers I've heard and you know they kind of make it their own, by way of Mr. Bungle. But I don't know, I still really like this. I also like the Wild Cherry-esque Brick House inflection vocals.
2. Shhh/Peaceful / Very Sleepy Rivers - Live: A live version of a track that would be featured on from Yerself Is Steam. This opening reminds me a bit of like this was recorded in the audience vs an actual soundboard recording. But it also reminded me a bit of Street Collage section of Movement for the Common Man. This drum rhythm and atmosphere reminds me of Love Is A Fist, either that or Travolta. I mean I do think this is good, but if these comparisons come back.... I don't know. While this isn't that bad of a track I'm waiting to read a, featuring Mike Patton on vocals credit. I like how it gets more intense and freaks out, but at 14 minutes I think it's a little long. Also I should note the album version of Very Sleepy Rivers is 20 minutes long. Also I knew it, Shhh/Peaceful is a cover of the Miles Davis 1969 track from In A Silent Way.
3. Frittering - Alt. Version: Another YIS track. I actually like this song, it's got a lot of feed back and there is some woodwinds. This is pleasant, sort of, but I mean it isn't like amazing. I think the song was a little too long.
4. Coney Island Cyclone - Alt. Version: This is a track that finds it's original home on CWH. There is this sample that reminds me of Bungle, and then the song starts. I like the song, its not half bad. But I mean I can play Let It Be Me at parts. I think that's the right song. But the horns are nice touch on the song, it's just.... I don't know.
5. Car Wash Hair - Extended Version: I wonder where this was originally from? I still like this song, and this version reminds me of the original. I can't complain about this.
6. Syringe Mouth - Alt. Version: I don't want to go into to much detail, the reason being I want to save some for the album review, but I do enjoy this track. It's pretty solid.
7. Blood On The Moon: I believe this to be one of two tracks not to be on another release, either YIS or CWH. This isn't half bad, I guess it was featured in some movie. Kind of reminds me of if Elliott Smith did psychedelic music. And with a very long thing. I don't know I've heard this before so it isn't as awesome.
8. Chasing A Bee (Inside A Jar) - Alt. Version: The last track to be on CWH and also YIS. Oh this and all the other Alt. Versions were recorded during a John Peel session. Also the thing continues into this track. I remembered I liked this on the original single. But the thing is I mean this isn't anything special. I mean I like it, but not love.

Overall I have to give this EP a 5/10. This is like a better, not great but better, Flaming Lips. Sometimes when they do Deluxe Editions of albums, older ones, they release a Rarities Edition. That contains all non-album tracks. on there. Basically the tracks that are bonus tracks with the Deluxe Edition. This is basically that, except released separately and the following year vs 20 or 30 years later. I'll still pick up this 45. Why not? But seriously, there is something that I liked about Car Wash Hair that seems to be missing from here.