Grade - A-

The debut LP from the Cold War Kids has been out for quite a while now; and it’s no longer a secret. Robbers & Cowards has propelled this Fullerton, CA group directly into the mainstream….a tour with the White Stripes didn’t hurt their popularity either. With heavy influences from Bob Dylan and Velvet Underground, this album contains captivating lyrics coupled with a palethora of differnt sounds and beats. For someone who is as ADD as I am, it’s a perfect combination.

This album starts off with my favorite song on the album, We Used To Vacation. A song about a man struggling with the realization that he’s no longer living an independant life and is a puppet controlled by the actions of his family. Oh, and he’s a recovering alcoholic. It’s one of those rare tunes that tells a good story, is great for singing along, and draws an image on your brain of someone you probably know.

Hang Me Out To Dry gets all of the radio play but I’m not sure it’s even a top 5 song on this album…but it’s still very good. Passing the Hat and Saint John are two strong, middle-of-the-album songs that tell interesting stories of struggle and justification for disregarding social norms. The rest can be said for the rest of the album (the title of the record should be an obvious indication of that), but it’s drawn up particularly well on these two tracks. The point of an album where most begin to run out of energy and creative substance is a strength on Robbers and Cowards. The album finishes off quite well and there are a few hidden gems including Red Wine, Success!

Get your hands on this album, it’s worth every second of time you give it.

Have you heard this album? If so, I’d like to get you thoughts on it. Is it as good as I say it is, or is it already forgotten?

Tuesday June 17th

The Briggs - Come All You Madmen
Coldplay - Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
Confide - Shout The Truth
Anthony David - Acey Deucey
Goo Goo Dolls - Greatest Hits Volume 2
Ice Cube - Raw Footage
MIGGS - Unraveled
Judas Priest - Nostradamus
The Notwist - The Devil, You + Me
The Offspring - Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace
Ride The Boogie - Ride The Boogie
Silver Jews - Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea
Tilly and the Wall - O
Sister Hazel - Before The Amplifiers, Live Acoustic
Wolf Parade - At Mount Zoomer

Tuesday June 24th

Joseph Arthur - [Title TBA] EP
Dwele - Sketches of a Man
Calico - Horse Mirror
Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal
Hercules And Love Affair - Hercules And Love Affair
IAMX - Kiss+Swallow US Release
Immortal Technique - The 3rd World
Less Than Jake - GNV FLA
Nelly - Brass Knuckles
Safari - So Good Every Fight is a Food Fight When You’re A Cannibal
Sigur Ros - Meo suo i eyrum vio spilum endalaust (With a Buzz in Our Ears We Play Endlessly)
Sam Sparro - Sam Sparro
Superchick - Rock What You Got
Three 6 Mafia - Last 2 Walk
Withered - Folie Circulaire

Grade - B

This album reminds me a lot of Tenacious D.I didn’t just say that the Conchords are in the same league as KG & JB yet but they are quickly closing the gap. The scope in which these cats are able make parodies is limitless, from poking at people trying to lean French but think they are fluent in the French language to discussing the fate of the human race from a futuristic robot perspective.

“There ain’t no party like my nanna’s tea party.”

Flight of the Concords self titled album lacks the cohesiveness of a traditional album but one theme is constant - it’s fun as shit! From beginning to end there are witty stories and hilarious little one liners that keep your attention and anxious for what they’re gonna cram in your earhole next. The only other drawback on this album is it’s lack of a single that will stand the test of time. There isn’t a “Tribute” on here ala Tenacious D and the storytelling isn’t quite as captivating as one about a talking goat. All signs point to these guys getting there, this album is a firm step in the right direction. This album is getting a lot of reviews and Kiwi band mates Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement aren’t bitching about the money their raking in.

More about the album….

It’s all about parody, whether it’s poking fun at the shallowness of the gangster rap’s intellectual thought pool (”Hiphopopotamus vs. Rhymenoceros”) or ripping David Bowie by muttering a tune in his thick signature accent, Bret and Jemaine work their audience well. Let’s not forget - all kidding aside, these boys a Grammy award winners - whatever that’s worth. The chopped up style from song to song makes the flow of this album both interesting and tough to get a rhythem for.

If you’re looking for something fun and fresh pick this album up.

Grade - C+

Ms. Naim’s debut album is a velvety mix of easy flowing feel good songs that most women around the world will really like. I’m not generalizing, but it’s not an album that most dudes are going to be cranking up in their cars or on their iPods. As my musical tastes branch out from rock and metal into everything else, I can really appreciate this album in the context of the genre. For me to go from Tool and Rage to Yael Naim is a ginormous step – comparing her work to music that blows the roof off the place is really hard to do.

(If someone would like to contribute to PunchBook to cover these types of albums please let me know. Otherwise, you’re all stuck with my best shot)

I initially downloaded this album because my wife and I were attracted to this the song New Soul; it’s that catchy little number from (more…)

Grade - B+

Something fresh……..Yessssssss!

As hip-hop and electronic sounding beats become more and more meaningful to me in music, hearing an album like Sound of Silver is refreshing. Oh wait, shit! Those funky-ass beats are man made only relying on a synthesizer and not some computer program? Why don’t these guys put a disclaimer on song one that their music is that unbelievably fucking great, like Tom Morello with an electric guitar great. Sweet Jesus, there is a time and a place to be modest and not come across as a sell out - but when you’re producing melodies as fun as these, you gotta advertise that shit.

I like swearing today.

Take the song Get Innocuos, the rhythms and beats in that song are strong, consistent, and after a while I swear your heart rhythms start changing to match the music. The same can be said with the rest of these tunes, they’re catchy, they’re (more…)

Album Review - D+

Alright, so from time to time I plan on reviewing albums that I discover even though they may be a little older (or a lot older). I recently downloaded this pile of shit the Deftones put out back in 2005….about the time their music started sucking. It’s a mix of slow, mellow tunes mixed with a twist of hip hop and the occasional guitar riff. The drums hit softly as the Deftones proceed ruin songs perfromed by 7 other bands. They also bring in guest singers such as B-Real (Cypress Hill), who is cool, but he is no Maynard James Keenan.

For those of you who are wondering what songs the Deftones destroy on this album, the notables are Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd and If Only Tonight We Could Sleep by The Cure. It’s just a bunch of (more…)

Grade - C-

R.E.M. is arguably one of the most influential alternative rock bands of 80’s, 90’s, and today. However, in my humble opinion, these guys have lost the energy that made people fall in love with their music. This is their 14th album and after 14 albums most artists are just pumping out new stuff and going through the motions. In R.E.M’s last few albums they’ve strayed away from what worked for them in the 80’s and 90’s, partially because of the loss of drummer Bill Berry. However, this album does echo shades of (more…)

Grade - A-

Does everything Arctic Monkeys front man Alex Turner touch turn to gold. Not only is this guy fronting one of the most cutting edge bands out there, now he has this side project called The Last Shadow Puppets which sounds fucking great. His influence from Favourite Worst Nightmare pretty much drives the tone of The Age of the Understatement. It’s got that haunted house rhythm and tone mixed with a little bit of 80’s TV daytime drama theme song. It’s not a duplication of something he’s already created, it’s one hell of a reinvention. In this side project Turner has paired up with Miles Kane (The Rascals) and James Ford who produced the album and plays drums.

The first track of the album, Black Plant, should be studied very closely. This is how great musicians draw listeners into their world for 13 or 14 tracks. It’s steady beat, clear and clever lyrics, and sweeping violin set the stage for (more…)

Clay Aiken - On My Way Here
Barenaked Ladies - Snacktime kids album
Elvis Costello - Momofuku
Craig David - Trust Me
Gavin DeGraw - Gavin DeGraw
Neil Diamond - Home Before Dark
The Dreamscapes - Project Pity In A Heartbeat
Tim Fite - Fair Ain’t Fair
Firewater - The Golden Hour
IAMX - The Alternative US Release
Iron Maiden - Somewhere Back In Time Best-of
Ja Rule - The Mirror
The Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of the Understatement
Millencolin - Machine 15
Mint Condition - e-Life
Mr. Gnome - Deliver This Creature
No Age - Nouns
Rob GEE - Says
Setting Sun - To The Next Place
Tokio Hotel - Scream

May 13th - Tuesday

10 Years - Division
The Architects - Vice
Joseph Arthur - [Title TBA] EP
Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
Andrew Dost - Columbus
Duffy - Rockferry
The Explosion - Bury Me Standing Last record
Keith Sweat - Just Me
Foxy Brown - Brooklyn’s Don Diva
Hospital - Bombers Footnotes
Landmines - Landmines
Jason Mraz - We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things
Old 97s - Blame It on Gravity
Patti Rothberg - Double Standards
The T4 Project - Story-Based Concept Album
Toy Gun Cowboy - Big Blue

May 20th - Tuesday

3 Doors Down - 3 Doors Down
Bun B - II Trill
Dare - Belief
Dare - Beneath The Shining Water
Dresden Dolls - No, Virginia
Drunk Stuntmen - State Fair
Explorers Club - Freedom Wind
Islands - Arm’s Way
Scarlett Johansson - Anywhere I Lay My Head
Alanis Morissette - Flavors of Entanglement
Curt Smith - Halfway, Pleased
Donna Summer - Crayons
Teyana Taylor - From a Planet Called Harlem
Wedding Present - El Rey

May 27th - Tuesday

The Futureheads - This Is Not The World
Al Green - Lay It Down
John Hiatt - Same Old Man
Cyndi Lauper - Bring Ya To The Brink
Usher - Here I Stand

If there is an album missing that you think should be added please let me know :)

Grade - C+

It seems that a lot of the Indie/Emo music being pumped out of the UK these days sounds the same. When I first listened to A Guide To Love, Loss, and Desperation it was more or less background music while I was working. When I popped it into my iPod and really heard it I found that it sounded a lot like the Kooks (whom I like) and had some captivating lyrics much like the Kaiser Chiefs (whom I also like). But two rights aren’t making a right here.

Kill the Director gets this album off on the right foot (on track #2), after all the slow tempo and soft sounding albums I’ve listened to in the past week - this was a welcomed sound. This track has all the makings of a classic single and has been getting solid radio play, and rightfully so. The hard hitting tune and clever lyrics make this song one of the best (more…)