Even More Quick Hits

Apparently my goal was to post so seldom that people would stop checking the blog, then throw an insane amount of reviews at you.

The Cool Kids - When Fish Ride Bicycles

I loved their first album (The Bake Sale), so I was looking forward to this one.  They do a very good job of paying homage to their old school heroes (especially Run DMC), while not making it cheesy.  They continue that trend on this album.  Actually, I think they did an even better job on this album.  Those influences are still there, but they seem to be trying to craft their own sound on this one.  It's an infectious album.

Favorite track: "Rush Hour Traffic"
Rating: 4/5

The Bony King of Nowhere - Eleonore

It's a folksy little album.  There's not much to it.  It's not bad, but there's nothing that separates him from the legions of others that sound exactly like him.  Basically, it's a less-good version of the first Fionn Regan album.

Favorite track: "Eleonore"
Rating: 2/5

Des Ark - Don't Rock the Boat, Sink the F***er

I don't really know what to make of her.  I think I like it.  There are songs that are stripped down and pretty, and others that are basically emo tracks.  It all seems to work.  The music seems serious enough...but then there's a track called "FTW Y'all!!!!", and I just can't take her seriously...even though it seems like she may not be taking herself seriously.

Favorite track: "My Saddle is Waitin' (C'Mon Jump on It)"
Rating: 3/5

R.E.M. - Collapse Into Now

Kind of feels like an older R.E.M. album...back when they were consistently making good music.  Even if it doesn't rank up there with their best work, it's still a good album.  Listen loud.

Favorite track: "Uberlin"
Rating: 3.5/5

Tyler, The Creator - Goblin

At times, it's a horrorcore album (which he talks about on the album).  At other times, it's an incredibly interesting look into the mind of a young kid who shot up to fame in a hurry.  In those moments, it's a fascinating listen.  Overall, it's a bit long, and, by the end, all of the songs start to sound the same.  It's a dark album, but there are a number of amazing tracks on this album.  It's well worth a listen.

Favorite track: "Yonkers"

Rating: 3.5/5

Action Bronson - Dr. Lecter

This guy borrows his sound from Ghostface Killah...fantastic verses over soul samples and the occasional electric guitar.  He never quite reaches the transcendent levels that Ghostface does, but he's still really good.  The entire album is fantastic, with a handful of stand-out tracks.  Right now, this is my hip-hop album of the year.

Favorite track: "Chuck Pearson"
Rating: 4.5/5

Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra

Like Tyler, The Creator, Frank Ocean is a park of the Odd Future crew.  But Ocean is the R&B crooner in the group, which sets him apart from the rest of them.  I'm a little undecided on this album.  I think I like it - there are even a couple tracks I love - but I feel like I should like it a little more than I do.  Maybe it'll grow on me with future listens.  As it stands now, I like it pretty well.

Favorite track: "Lovecrimes"
Rating: 3.5/5