If radio stations and A&R folks have done their job, you’ve heard a track or two off of Vampire Weekend’s self-titled album.  Perhaps you’ve even gone out and bought the album (or downloaded it illegally).  And if you’re in the Milwaukee area, maybe you’ve even scored some tickets to their sold-out concert tomorrow night. 

If you’ve done any of the aforementioned things, and possibly even if you haven’t, you might have heard or read some of things being said about Vampire Weekend.  You’ve probably caught some key words or phrases here and there.  Things like “buzz band,” “the next big thing,” or (god help us) “rock ‘n roll saviors.”

Obviously, I have my own opinion.  But, as with many things, I initially realized that I’m usually wrong when it comes to things like this.  So…I started talking to some friends whose musical tastes are much more refined than mine.  I asked, in the most un-biased way I could, “Have you heard Vampire Weekend?  What do you think?”

Much to my surprise, none of their responses included any of the praise they’re constantly receiving.  In fact, almost everyone I talked to included the same word in their description.  And I’ll be damned; it was also the word that ran through my head after hearing them for the first time:

OVERRATED.

Now don’t get me wrong.  Vampire Weekend is a good band.  But it ends there.  Yeah, I know there are tons of musicians out there putting out CDs that I wouldn’t use as coasters.  But that doesn’t automatically make a halfway decent band like Vampire Weekend deserving of the stroke job they’re receiving from damn near every critic out there.  This is the kind of the band that’s supposed to open for your favorite band.  They’re good enough to not piss you off about waiting for the headliner.  And they’re bad enough to comfortably ignore while talking to your friend about the hot punk-rock girl at the T-shirt stand.  Honestly, I could literally toss their CD out of my bedroom and hit someone in a better band.  (Seriously, my roommates are musicians.)

That being said:

Do I think that fans of Vampire Weekend have no taste?  No.

Do I feel that this band has been over-hyped and needs to be taken down a notch? Yes.

Despite the content of this blog, do I realize that I’m giving free press to an already overexposed band?  Shit, maybe I shouldn’t have written this.

-James, TLC

CDS:

BAND MARINO – THE SEA & THE BEAST (Street Parade Records)

With one of the best band names I’ve heard in a long time, Band Marino throws banjos, mandolins, violins, and cellos into the mix with all the other “typical” band elements; all in an effort to take your grandparents’ old-timey music and give it a fresh kick in the bottom.  Outside of capturing the grittiness of that era, they really do a pretty good job, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t seen this kind of thing done better.

RATING: THREE STARS

DUB TRIO – ANOTHER SOUND IS DYING (Ipecac Recordings)

If you dumped a two-liter of Mountain Dew down my throat and put a Scarface-sized mound of blow up my nose, I still don’t think my attention span would get any worse than it already is, so instrumental albums were never really my forte… until I first heard Dub Trio.  Mixing elements of punk, metal, hip-hop, and of course dub, Another Sound Is Dying makes for anything but a boring listen.  And even if the monotony of the instrumentals does happen to get to you, it is beautifully broken with a vocal appearance by the incomparable Mike Patton.  So put the coffee and cocaine to the side for this one. You'll probably need it to deal with the new Panic! At The Disco album.

RATING: FOUR STARS

THE HARD LESSONS – B & G SIDES: VOLUME 2 (Quack!Media)

After the release of B & G Sides: Volume 1, I was really hoping that Volume 2 would redeem the band and return them to the dirtier, Detroit indie-rock I fell in love with.  Instead, I popped this in and heard the same old sentimental poppy crap that fits better in a Kate Hudson romantic comedy than my CD rack.  I really do hope that one day this band makes me regret writing this, but for now I have some advice for the valued reader: Go out and buy The Hard Lessons’ Wise Up EP, and stay the hell away from their later releases.

RATING: ONE STAR

IN FLIGHT RADIO – THE SOUND INSIDE (Last Broadcast Records)

This female-fronted quartet provides a melodic and atmospheric guitar sound that does nothing short of inspire the music lover…to gaze at their album collection until locating their old Radiohead records to listen to instead.  Seriously, if Thom Yorke had a sex change just before recording The Bends, you’d probably get this album.  Sure, it’s decent, but I’ve heard it already…over a decade ago.

RATING: TWO STARS

A THIRD WISH GRANTED – THE LOST ART OF CONVERSATION: VOL. 1 (Self-Released)

As I look back, I realize that I have a tendency to listen to really good music during really bad times.  I’ll throw in Nirvana, Jeff Buckley, Johnny Cash, or something like that.  In hindsight, I discovered what a bad decision that was.  Now, when I hear those bands, I associate their music with some random horrible moment in my life.  But that will never happen again, and I have A Third Wish Granted to thank.  Because the next time my life is in major turmoil, I’m gonna play the shit out of this album.  Perhaps you’re wondering why.  Well, this EP is so disgustingly atrocious that I know I’ll never listen to it at any other time, thus saving me from associating yet another great album with a bad experience.  So thank you, A Third Wish Granted, you’re repulsive brand of rock has saved good music for me for years to come.

RATING: ZERO STARS

TOBY THE FUGITIVE – PROXIMA DISTORT (Chamberlain Records)

This band of 18 to 21-year-olds does exactly what a band of that age should do; they bring the piss and vinegar into rock.  And sometimes that’s all you need.  Some may scoff at how much they seem to be trying to sound like At The Drive-In.  Those people probably don’t have listen to some of putrid shit I have to critique (see the A Third Wish Granted review).

RATING: THREE STARS

KURT COBAIN ABOUT A SON (Shout Factory)

For those of you waiting for the big-budget bio-pic on Kurt Cobain, you’ll thankfully have to wait a little longer.  I don’t hold a lot of things sacred, but Nirvana is one of those rare subjects that I don’t think should be tackled lightly.  It’s for that reason that I appreciate the unconventional treatment that About A Son is given.  The film follows Kurt Cobain from childhood to the rise of Nirvana, using only filmed images from cities in Washington (Seattle, Olympia, and Aberdeen) and previously unheard audio interviews between Cobain and journalist Michael Azerrad.  Rather than using Nirvana music, an original score from Ben Gibbard and Nirvana producer Steve Fisk is featured, along with tracks from some of Kurt’s favorite artists (Leadbelly, Melvins, and The Vaselines to name a few).  For fans, this is probably the closest you can get to knowing who Kurt Cobain was, simply because you are hearing his words and seeing what he may have seen.  So if you’re looking for Hollywood’s telling of the clichéd rock ‘n roll lifestyle, keep on moving.  But if you’re craving an extremely creative telling of the life of one of the most influential musicians ever, look no further.

RATING: FOUR STARS

CDS:

LEMURIA – GET BETTER (Asian Man Records)

This band is fun to listen to. The songs are short, and the vocals are suitable for a band from Buffalo, NY.  NO SHIT?  Buffalo?  Do you guys know my friend Jeremy?  He lives out there, and probably still weighs 2 lbs.  No, he’s not a baby, or a crack-head, he’s just all bone.  Any way, if you are in the mood for some tasty pop-punk with a chick who sounds down right adorable, and a guy who sounds like he would kick ass at singing Cool For Cats by Squeeze (w/o the accent) at karaoke, give this band a serious listen.  One request, on the opening track “Pants”, I thought you were saying I want my hands in your pants, not your hair. Just a thought if you ever would think the lyrics need some retooling. I suggest that be the one thing you fix.  Other than that, you guys are cool in my book.

RATING: FOUR STARS

MOE POPE & HEADNODIC – MEGAPHONE (Natural High Records)

Getting back to the good old days of producer/emcee combos, Megaphone represents with a smooth 70’s sound with some decent-ass rhymes over them.  At times I was feelin’ it. Other times I was like “naw, ain’t feelin’ it”  They got Gift of Gab, and Oh No on “Danger Danger,” one of my favorite tracks.  After that the albums fine, but at the end they fuck shit up with a remix of  “Zuh Zuh Zuh!”  That track is fuckin’ off tha hook!  Throughout the album you hear all the influences, or artists they respect.  I’d list them, but I’m lazy.

RATING: THREE STARS

JOHNNIE NEWMAN – THE GOLDEN COAST (Highscore Records)

Johnnie Newman has found the way to trigger an acid-like flashback for me.  This flashback is of me growing up during the 80’s in the summertime.  He’s got the sound of Steely Dan, The Steve Miller Band, a little bit o’ Beach Boys, Hall and Oates, even a touch of Zappa.  Every track would most surely be played on WKRP in Cincinnati.  Venus Flytrap would fuck that shit up.  After one listen I thought it would probably grow on me.  I have yet to give it the chance.  I bet fucking cash my friend Reggie would find it quite the groove.  Check out the link, and see if you feel like I do.  Ha, that’s a little Frampton reference.  One in which this album does not sound a bit like.

RATING: THREE STARS

THIS HOLIDAY LIFE – THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THE WORLD (7 Spin Music)

This band could probably make an awesome sea shanty album.  Is it called “shanty”?  I hope it is.  An awesome indie shanty.  I think I just coined a new genre of music.  Thank you very much.  This album is good, and I bet teenage ladies touch themselves while listening to it.