[INSTRUMENTAL/HIP-HOP] Elaquent - After Midnight [LP]

Elaquent is an instrumental hip-hop artist who's just releasing his first album free on MySpace. I was actually pretty surprised with the quality of it - there are some guest appearances by relatively unknown rappers, but generally the whole album is comprised of pretty relaxing beats. It's a little bit jazzy, and I can't really compare it to much because I'm admittedly not a huge fan of the genre, and it's a little generic, but it definitely has an audience.

2.5/5.

http://www.myspace.com/elaquenthiphop

[EXPERIMENTAL/INDIE ROCK] Animal Collective- Merriweather Post Pavilion [LP]

Animal Collective's reputation as one of the best bands of their generation has already been solidified, and at this point, nothing that they release is going to harm that legacy. The band has been doing something following every subsequent release that most musical acts are afraid to attempt; they are constantly reinventing themselves. To call Merriweather Post Pavilion the crowning achievement of the band's career undermines the rest of the Animal Collective's work. It seems that a lot of critics are emphasizing the magnum opus-like quality of their latest release, which to me, belittles the rest of what Animal Collective and its members are going to offer for years to come. Listening to Merriweather Post Pavilion is so liberating because it's not only a brilliantly executed album, but it has helped officially cement Animal Collective as the greatest band making music today. The album has helped flesh out the band's previous work by reminding the listener how the band has evolved so much over the past decade. Merriweather Post Pavilion contains some of the group's best work, most notably "My Girls", "Daily Routine", and "Brother Sport", the later being the best closing song to an album I've heard in years. The electronic loops and samples Geologist has been contributing over the past few years take front and center on this album. By synthesizing their music to a greater degree on Merriweather Post Pavilion, the band has become more earthy sounding in the process. This is their most natrual sounding album yet. The album is not by any means perfect. The songs following "Bluish" tend to drag on a bit, and none of the songs on the second half of the record are particularly memorable besides "Brother Sport". Still, Merriweather Post Pavilion is not a record meant to capture the highlight of the band's career. It's meant to complement the group's equally strong previous work and serves as a reminder that there are still musicians out there willing to take chances, giving the listener hope in the limitless possibilities music has to offer. And that is something to be proud off.

4.5/5

http://www.myspace.com/animalcollectivetheband

[LO-FI/NOISE ROCK] Times New Viking - Stay Awake [EP]

Times New Viking sounds like what Robert Pollard would sound like he had a sex change and recorded a four-track album from inside a washing machine. The sound quality is terrible, but it's kind of neat in its own way. I'd be really interested to see what the sound like live. This EP is really short, which should come as no surprise to the band's fans, but for what it is it's pretty fun, I enjoyed myself while listening to it.

3/5.

http://www.myspace.com/timesnewviking

Apology

Just a quick note here - I know we're missing the biggest release of the month (Animal Collective's new album) but I promise a review will be up either today or tomorrow in time for our best albums of the month list. Want to make sure all the big albums are accounted for. Sorry for the delay.

[ALT-COUNTRY/FOLK] Mark Olson & Gary Louris - Ready for the Flood [LP]

I'd like to start this off by saying that there have been a ridiculous amount of good alt-country/folk kind of albums this year already, and so getting something from a couple of members of The Jayhawks is really cool, but they probably could have picked a better time to release their stuff. I don't have much against this album, but I feel as though it's not on the same level as the stuff Vetiver, J. Tillman, Phosphorescent, and those guys already put out. Nothing bad, but nothing outstanding.

3/5.

www.myspace.com/readyfortheflood

[FOLK/KLEZMER] Franz Nicolay - The Major General [LP]

I'm as big a fan of The Hold Steady as most anyone, and when I heard there were some side-projects emerging from that, I couldn't have been happier. Franz Nicolay's album, The Major General, however, was actually a little bit painful to listen to. If I didn't associate him with such an outstanding band, I don't think it would have been as bad, but if you're expecting anything close to Separation Sunday, you're going to be really disappointed with this one. It's a mess musically, and lyrically it doesn't match The Hold Steady's stuff, either.

2/5.

http://www.myspace.com/franznicolay

[CLASSIC ROCK] Bruce Springsteen - Working on a Dream [LP]

Bruce Springsteen, or "The Boss", is one of rock's most iconic living figures. He's released an endless number of albums ranging from good to outstanding. Working on a Dream fits into that range, although closer to good than outstanding. Bruce is still The Boss, though - this is the guy people like the Gaslight Anthem borrow heavily from in crafting their own great albums. If you have any reverence or respect for the great artists, listen to this album.

3.5/5.

www.myspace.com/brucespringsteen

[ALTERNATIVE ROCK] Morrissey- Years of Refusal [LP]

It's easy for the listener to scoff at Morrissey's latest release based on the cover art alone. But after listening to Years of Refusal, it's safe to say that the music is as equally dismissible. Produced by the late Jerry Finn, who also helmed 2004's You Are the Quarry, Years of Refusal is a sporadic mess that stretches from classic sounding, Bona Drag-era Morrissey to embarrassing, pop-punk laced trivial garbage. One of Morrissey's weakest entries in recent memory.

2.5/5.

http://www.myspace.com/morrissey

[ALTERNATIVE/POST-PUNK] White Lies - To Lose My Life [LP]

White Lies has been compared to pretty much every reasonably famous post-punk band ever, from Joy Division to Interpol. However, their album, To Lose My Life, isn't nearly on the level of those two bands. I actually felt like they sounded a lot like the Killers myself, and that should be apparent to anyone who listens to them. More of a band that rips off good (or at least popular) bands than something original, but the album is a decent, if forgettable, listen.

2.5/5.

http://www.myspace.com/whitelies

My Bloody Valentine's "Loveless" to be Reissued

For anyone who's been deprived of this amazing album, My Bloody Valentine is having its magnum opus, Loveless, reissued next week (January 26th.) I shouldn't have to tell you how incredible it is, but if you don't already have it, make sure you pick it up at some point to support an outstanding band. A 5/5 album if I've ever seen one.

[POWER POP/DANCE] Matt & Kim - Grand [LP]

Matt & Kim are a power pop band now releasing their second album, Grand. They've been able to gain a fair amount of fame, but I can't exactly see why. Their albums have energy, but are severely lacking in substance. This album, at 29 minutes long, doesn't outstay its welcome, but doesn't really offer much of anything that you haven't heard before. A perfectly decent album.

2.5/5.

http://www.myspace.com/mattandkim

[ALT-COUNTRY/FOLK] J. Tillman - Vacilando Territory Blues [LP]

You might not recognize the name J. Tillman, but he's the drummer of folk group Fleet Foxes, who released their excellent self-titled album last year. Tillman actually has more albums released than Fleet Foxes at this point in the same genre, so if you're a fan, he's another one to check out. He has a great voice and some very haunting folk songs here. Highly recommended to folk music fans.

4/5.

http://www.myspace.com/jtillman

MySpace Links

I just went back and added MySpace links to the band/artist page of each of the reviews up on here, and that will continue. At some point I might add links to the album on Amazon as well. I think that should make it a little easier for people to check out the bands. Again, I'm not going to post download links for the albums.

[ALT-COUNTRY/FOLK] Vetiver - Tight Knit [LP]

Vetiver is an excellent alt-country/folk band that makes for some very easy listening. This is their fourth album and they've quietly built up a very solid discography a little bit under the radar. This album is one of the better recent albums in this genre to come out recently, which is saying something because bands like Phosphorescent have put out some good country/folk music lately.

4/5.

http://www.myspace.com/jtillman

[INDIE/LO-FI] Robert Pollard - The Crawling Distance [LP]

Indie rock legend Robert Pollard (Guided by Voices) has released an album, and...it's exactly what you'd expect. Pollard still has the same voice he used to, and still puts out catchy 2-3 minute songs that, if he gets it right, sound like classics you've been listening to for years. It's a little lacking in substance and not on par with some of the better GBV albums, but it's a worthwhile addition to his profile. Also of note: the title of this blog comes from the title of one of the songs on this album.

3.5/5.

http://www.myspace.com/robertepollardjr

[FREAK FOLK/PSYCHEDELIC] MV & EE With the Golden Road - Drone Trailer [LP]

I like the Flaming Lips as much as the next guy, but hearing someone else try to sound like Wayne Coyne is just pathetic. Not to say that Matt Valentine (MV) is far off, it's just such a blatant ripoff that it turns me off to his freak folk band, MV & EE With the Golden Road. I'm not a fan of bands that try to sound like other bands, so this album didn't do it for me.

2/5.

http://www.myspace.com/mveebummerroad

[ELECTRONIC] Fever Ray- Fever Ray [LP]

Swedish electropop duo The Knife certainly have a big year to look forward: Karin Dreijer's debut solo album under the moniker Fever Ray is being released early this year, and the group is also planning on writing an opera based on Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species, which should debut sometime in Novemeber. Fever Ray should hold over fans awaiting The Knife's follow-up to their critically acclaimed Silent Shout. For listeners who are not fans of The Knife's bland repertoire, like myself, Fever Ray won't win those listeners over.

2/5.

http://www.myspace.com/feverray

[INDIE POP/SHOEGAZE] Asobi Seksu- Hush [LP]

Hush, Asobi Seksu's follow-up to the critically lauded Citrus, is more or less what fans can normally expect from any Asobi Seksu album: lush guitars, beautiful vocals, and an effects-drenched sound, which makes Hush an excellent companion in the band's gradually expanding discography.

3.5/5.

http://www.myspace.com/asobiseksu

[ALT-COUNTRY] Phosphorescent - To Willie [LP]

Highly praised folk/alt-country musician Matthew Houck has recorded a new album under his nickname, Phosphorescent. This time, he's covering Willie Nelson songs and putting his own spin on them. I was never a fan of cover albums, but I found myself really enjoying Houck's Nelson covers. He has a great voice and some very delicate and touching songs, some nice takes on both classics and not-so-popular songs.

3.5/5.

www.myspace.com/phosphorescent

[ALT-COUNTRY] Ben Nichols - The Last Pale Light in the West [LP]

Ben Nichols is the vocalist for alt-country band Lucero. His debut is a short, 27-minute alt-country album that's listenable but doesn't really stand out in any way. It's nothing offensive, but it's not going to blow your mind. He has a fairly distinct singing style that I didn't really like much, but country fans shouldn't mind.

2.5/5.

http://music.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=music.Discography&artistid=17543579

[FOLK/SINGER-SONGWRITER] Andrew Bird - Noble Beast/Useless Creatures [DOUBLE LP]

Andrew Bird is a multi-instrumentalist folk singer-songwriter. He's gained some popularity over the last few years along with similar musicians such as Beirut. His fifth and latest studio album, Noble Beast, comes in a two-disc set with a bonus disc, Useless Creatures, in special packaging.

Noble Beast:

Bird has earned his high critical acclaim through his career, and he's been worthy of it in my opinion. He plays guitar, violin, mandolin, and glockenspiel all well, and adds in some solid, warbling vocals similar to many other indie-folk acts. This is one of his better albums, as he puts together a string of very catchy, strong folk songs once again on Noble Beast. One of the best albums of 2009 so far. This comes highly recommended if you have any interest in worldly folk music.

4.5/5.

Useless Creatures:

The bonus disc Noble Beast is shipped with, Useless Creatures, is a set of nine instrumental songs Bird recorded, presumably during the recording of Noble Beast. Because Bird is such a talented musician, he's able to use the multiple instruments he plays to his advantage, putting together a series of whimsical folk instrumentals. It's all very well done, but I miss the vocals here.

3.5/5.

www.myspace.com/andrewbird

[EXPERIMENTAL/POST-PUNK] The Phantom Band- Checkmate Savage [LP]

Glasgow-based sextet The Phantom Band sound like a This Heat tribute act under the guidance of a kraut-rock influenced Will Oldham. Much like this analogy, the music off the band's debut album, Checkmate Savage, is difficult to pigeonhold under one, identifiable genre. The Phantom Band shove their influences in a blender, tear them to shreds, and gather the ineffable remains to create an album. Checkmate Savage is striking, ambitious, and overindulgent, with songs that steadily get stronger as the album progresses. Heavy riffs, layered choruses, and sing-shout vocal work carries the album through rough terrain. The listener is invited along an overtly-extended journey that is certainly worth taking.

3.5/5.

www.myspace.com/thephantombandpage

[ALTERNATIVE/DANCE] Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand [LP]

Franz Ferdinand is one of the most well-known post-punk revival bands, and have released some of the better albums in that genre. Apparently, however, they felt like they should change up their sound on this album, moving towards a more electronic sounding album. It's not really their thing: decent, but nowhere near the self-titled.

2.5/5.

www.myspace.com/franzferdinand

[INDIE POP/SHOEGAZE] It Hugs Back- Inside Your Guitar [LP]

It Hugs Back are a four-piece band from the UK that create dreamy pop music that draws strong comparisons to shoegaze groups such as M83 and Dirty On Purpose. Inside Your Guitar is an incredibly strong debut album. The band does an excellent job shifting between lush, feedback-driven noise opuses and organ-led acoustic balladry. They're not the most original sounding band, but Inside Your Guitar is so polished, it would be unwise to dismiss the music of It Hugs Back as redundant.

4/5.

http://www.myspace.com/ithugsback

[ALTERNATIVE ROCK] The Rifles - The Great Escape [LP]

The Rifles are one of the latest British rock crazes. So far, they've managed to impress some by getting endorsements from Oasis and Mike Skinner (the Streets.) Like a lot of the recent Brit rock bands, they have some catchy, easy-to-listen-to songs, but unfortunately I wasn't really digging the bland lyrics and vocals.

3/5.

http://www.myspace.com/therifles

[INDIE ROCK] Handsome Furs- Face Control [LP]

Out of all the side projects commonly associated with the Canadian indie rock group Wolf Parade (and there are a lot of them), Handsome Furs, which is comprised of Wolf Parade guitarist Dan Boeckner and his wife Alexei Perry, are the weakest. While Wolf Parade successfully combines the distinct songwriting talents of Boeckner and Spencer Krug (Sunset Rubdown, Frog Eyes) to create elaborate, keyboard-driven post-punk, Face Control feels like a indigent foray into synth pop. The album is weighed down by its lazy dance beats, which muddles Boeckner's progressive songwriting skills. Face Control fails to discern itself from a genre that is already oversaturated with similar sounding synth-driven indie rock.

2/5.

http://www.myspace.com/handsomefurs

[POST-ROCK] Gregor Samsa - Over Air [LIVE/REMIXES]

This is a collection of some songs Gregor Samsa performed during a radio show, and some alternate mixes. The band has a nice orchestral post-rock sound, with some nice vocal parts as well (male and female vocals.) It's not really an entirely new album, but a nice collection of music from a talented, relaxing band.

3.5/5.

http://www.myspace.com/gregorsamsamyspace

[POST-ROCK] Crippled Black Phoenix - Night Raider [LP]/The Resurrectionist [LP]

Night Raider

Crippled Black Phoenix is made up of musicians from other bands, notably the bassist of Mogwai. The first album of their double release, Night Raider, is as pretentious as you can imagine. It goes overboard on experimentation and has some laughable vocal sections reminiscent of Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

2/5.

The Resurrectionists

Luckily, the second album, The Resurectionists, is a massive improvement. It has a stronger folk feel, which is interesting on a post-rock album. Also, the vocals are much better done this time around, and the songs don't seem as bloated. It's a longer album yet flows much better than Night Raider did.

3/5.

http://www.myspace.com/crippledblackphoenix

[ELECTRONIC/TRIP-HOP] Diplo - Decent Work For Decent Pay, Collected Works Volume One [LP]

For those of you that don't know him, Diplo is the DJ most known for mixing a lot of songs for M.I.A. and Santogold. This is a collection of Diplo mixes that range from mediocre to pretty good. One thing I don't like about Diplo is that his songs tend to get repetitive and predictable. Decent Work for Decent Pay is just that - decent.

2.5/5.

www.myspace.com/diplo

[INDIE POP/ALTERNATIVE] A.C. Newman - Get Guilty [LP]

A.C. Newman is a singer-songwriter who you might recognize as the singer of The New Pornographers. This album isn't too much different from what you'd find on a New Pornographers album, but I'm not really complaining. It doesn't stand out and I'd like to see something a little more different, but it's nice easy listening.

3.5/5.

http://www.myspace.com/thesquaresofseattle

[CABARET/CHAMBER POP] Antony & the Johnsons - The Crying Light [LP]

Antony & the Johnsons is Antony Hegarty's main music project; he also provided vocals for Hercules and Love Affair on their outstanding album last year. He has a very distinct voice that won't appeal to everyone. This album can be very powerful at times, but it takes time to grow on you. Some songs are heartbreaking.

4/5.

http://www.myspace.com/antonyandthejohnsons

[EXPERIMENTAL/HIP-HOP] Dälek - Gutter Tactics [LP]

Dälek is a very interesting band - they rap, but at the same time, they have very experimental, ambient beats going on in the background. Not the best rap I've ever heard, but it's definitely a breath of fresh air. This might go down as one of the better (and more unique) hip-hop albums of the year.

4/5.

http://www.myspace.com/psykodalek2005

[EXPERIMENTAL/LO-FI] Iran - Dissolver [LP]

Iran is made up of members of a few different bands, most notably including the guitarist of TV on the Radio. People name-drop Pavement, Sebadoh, and Built to Spill as comparative bands for Iran. I can see why people would say that, but Iran is more a ripoff of those bands than a peer. Some catchy songs but nothing really exciting.

2.5/5.

http://www.myspace.com/thesamesongoverandover

[SHOEGAZE/DREAM ROCK] Magnetic Morning - A.M. [LP]

Magnetic Morning is the side project of Sam Fogarino, the drummer of Interpol. This album is definitely at least a little bit similar to Interpol's stuff, and but I didn't really like it as much. It's listenable if you like that kind of music, but it's not really my thing.

2.5/5.

http://www.myspace.com/magneticmorning

[DREAM/TWEE POP] The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart [LP]

I really love this album - it manages to sound cute without being wimpy and loud without being heavy or intimidating. It takes a little while to feel comfortable listening to it, but it's really a wonderful album. I'm always a fan of vocals shared by male and female vocalists, and it works well here.

4/5.

http://www.myspace.com/thepainsofbeingpureatheart

[EXPERIMENTAL/ELECTRONIC] TV on the Radio - Dancing Choose [SINGLE]

This is a little four-song single by TV on the Radio, who were one of last year's most acclaimed bands for their album "Dear Science." Maybe they're over my head, but I never really got into this band at all. I guess this is an okay single if you like them, but I don't really recommend it.

2/5.

http://www.myspace.com/tvotr

[INDIE POP/PSYCHEDELIC] of Montreal - An Eluardian Instance [PROMO]

This is basically a single off of of Montreal's new album, "Skeletal Lamping." While it's true that I didn't really like "Skeletal Lamping" much (it feels like a collection of interludes), this is a pretty good song from it. There are two forgettable alternate takes on the song on here as well.

2.5/5.

http://www.myspace.com/ofmontreal

[INDIE/ALTERNATIVE] Howling Bells - Radio Wars [LP]

Howling Bells is an Australian band that toured with bands like Snow Patrol. They have a female vocalist, and she's pretty good as well. They're not exactly anything mind-blowing or anything, but a pretty solid alternative record all around. I like them more than Snow Patrol.

3/5.

http://www.myspace.com/howlingbells

[EXPERIMENTAL/FREAK FOLK] Here We Go Magic - Here We Go Magic [LP]

This was an interesting record. Apparently it was made and recorded over a stream of consciousness session in New York City. The freak folk scene is pretty interesting in general, and this album is worth a listen if you're into that sort of thing. Not the most memorable album of all time, but it's okay.

3/5.

http://www.myspace.com/herewegomagic

[INSTRUMENTAL/HIP-HOP] DJ Signify - Of Cities [LP]

DJ Signify has a lot of darker, sadder hip-hop beats. He does a pretty good job with this album as well. It's mostly instrumental but has some rapping by Aesop Rock that ends up being pretty good. Check it out if you like instrumental hip hop.

3/5.

http://www.myspace.com/djsignify

[EXPERIMENTAL/PSYCH-FOLK] Dent May - The Good Feeling Music of Dent May & His Magnificent Ukulele [LP]

Dent May is a great musician from Mississippi signed to Paw Tracks, which was formed by Animal Collective. He sounds kind of like a weird mix between Beirut and the Magnetic Fields. This might end up being one of my favorite albums of 2009.

4.5/5.

http://www.myspace.com/dentmay

[NOISE/POST-PUNK] Deerhunter - On Platts Eyott Island Island [CASSETTE]

A limited edition cassette that's a bit hard to get your hands on, but is worthwhile. They gave this away at concerts. I listened to the green cassette, which had some cool artwork. Check out "Microcastle" from last year as well.

3.5/5.

www.myspace.com/deerhunter

[FOLK] Bon Iver - Blood Bank [EP]

I really liked this EP. Four songs long, and it has some good vocals and music. Check out Bon Iver's LP, "For Emma Forever Ago", released last year, too. A bit short but it was a worthwhile listen.

3.5/5.

http://www.myspace.com/boniver

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog, Silence Be Destroyed (named after a Robert Pollard song.) In the blog, I'm going to listen to as many albums from 2009 as possible and briefly comment on and rate them as I go. You can expect some additional contributors[, although how many depends on how many albums there are to go through. Hopefully everyone will find some new music they like! Unfortunately, right now I do not plan on posting links to download any albums, both because it's a lot of work to do and because I don't want to endorse any illegal activities. Enjoy!