Daydream Nation (Sonic Youth)

This is an attempt to pass cacophony as artistic. The attempt is made clear; there is no sense that the noise created is done randomly an disconnected from any sort of intention. However, the cult-following provided to Sonic Youth through their distillation of sound into headaches is more telling about the postmodern culture which has umbrage with beauty than any work of genius by the artists. At best this is the underbelly of what makes music beautiful, and is a good sample of contemporary society.

Grade: C

LCD Soundsystem (LCD Soundsystem)

Grade: A-

Myths of the Near Future ; Surfing the Void (Klaxons)

Grades: A-; A-

You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into (Does It Offend You, Yeah?)

Grade: B+

Out Of The Races And Onto The Tracks (The Rapture)

Grade: C

Write About Love (Belle and Sebastian)

Grade: A-

Snow Patrol (Snow Patrol)

Grade: A-

Noctourniquet (Mars Volta)

Grade: C+

RIOT! ; brand new eyes (Paramore)

      

Grades: B+; B+

Angles (The Strokes)

Grade: A-

Port of Morrow (The Shins)

Grade: B

Parachutes; X&Y (Coldplay)

Grades: A+; A

Codes and Keys (Death Cab for Cutie)

Grade: B+

PINES (A Fine Frenzy)

Call this one a mulligan. We see a very strong attempt at progressive, experimentation, as a way to separate her single-lady voice from the horde of other woman who are content with sitting on a piano stool. Shrouded in mystery, the music tends more often than not to center on confusion. It is not to say that she has made her album completely impenetrable – only that the project itself seems to be lacking a theme for its own existence, outside of the effort of trying something new. This is a typical album which may not signify any growth on the musician’s part, only a hiatus from her normal strong-suits.

Grade: B

Chesapeake; Elephants...Teeth Sinking Into Heart (Rachael Yamagata)

Ms. Yamagata is renowned for writing catchy songs which feed the underbelly of teenage-girl dramas. The unfairness in her commercial usage is that she is an awe-inspiring musician, who effortlessly choreographs multiple instruments and intelligent, non-obfuscatory lyrics. At her best she achieves mystical depths into the human spirit, all accentuated by her calm melodic vocals. There is no stopping her on these two albums, and in fact is a terrific representation of her range and non-pretentious mastery of sound.

Grades: A-, B+

More Adventurous (Rilo Kiley)

The album is a solid rock contribution. Ms. Lewis has fantastically charming lyrics, supported by a potent surge of electric rhythm from her band-mates. While feeling light as a feather, it has that quaint deepness, allowing for multiple repeats with new atmospheres discovered each time. This is more classically rock, with less of the twang and country-folk experimentalism found in Under the Blacklight. But that is never a bad thing, especially when the structure of each song strongly attempts originality: something of an expectation of every musician’s credo. Other musicians set these same aims on a stadium and gladiatorial height, often failing at their efforts for immortality. Thus, while More Adventurous does not achieve the highest brilliance reserved for strikes of musical lighting, it still can count as a strong contribution to the “Lost Decade of Music”.

Grade: B+