Luke Wilson's wrists, between the act and the blood.
Got to wax all serious-like about my favorite combination of sound and celluloid ever thanks to a thoughtful A.V. Club reader. This link goes to the second page (my post is the fourth one down) but the entire thing’s worth perusing.
Fleet Foxes, "Helplessness Blues"
Though Fleet Foxes sounded wise beyond their years on 2008’s self-titled debut, Helplessness Blues finds age creeping on singer Robin Pecknold. “So now I am older than my mother and father when they had their daughter,” he sings for the album’s opening line. “Now what does that say about me?” The nature of his question says a great deal about Pecknold’s band …
It’s one of the year’s great albums, so why not read more at The A.V. Club.
Gruff Rhys, "Hotel Shampoo"
Welsh odd-pop whiz Gruff Rhys is notoriously difficult to pin down stylistically, and usually that works for him. Strapped to a sturdy band or collaborator like Super Furry Animals or Neon Neon, his roving eye for left-field electronics, breezy tropicalia, playful psych-rock, and freaky folk is a valuable asset. But left to his own devices …
Well, now that’s a different story. Read the full review at The A.V. Club.
Times New Viking, "Dancer Equired"
What does that even mean? Read more of my gobbledygook at Spin (print too).
Zac Pennington looks purty in pencil, on "Privilege."
Portland chamber-pop geniuses led by androgynous adonis get roughed up by chaos-loving lady-led Angeleno noiseniks. All you get is a free tune (L.A. Times).
Gorillaz, "The Fall"
No one could’ve predicted that 16 years after the release of Blur’s Parklife, that seminal Britpop album’s chief architect would tour U.S. arenas at the helm of a successful alt-electro cartoon band. But Gorillaz’s stateside popularity isn’t just a one-sided love affair for Damon Albarn; on The Fall, which was recorded on an Apple iPad during the band’s fall 2010 tour, he shows his elation at finally getting acquainted with America.
Read the full review at The A.V. Club, and this older Spin article on said tour.
Cass McCombs, "Wit's End"
Maybe even velourish. Read the review over at Spin (in print too).
Panatha Du Prince, "XI Versions of Black Noise"
At first, the track listing for XI Versions Of Black Noise seems deliberately confounding. Much of the remix album is devoted to only two tracks from the German producer-DJ’s 2010 minimalist techno breakthrough, Black Noise, and the guest list is glaringly light on crossover appeal …
But … what? There’s gotta be a but, right? Read the full review at The A.V. Club.
Chris Jericho hypes the Club Nokia crowd forcibly. (Erik Voake)
This was a weird one. Late, yes, but worth tripping back in time to experience it all over again. Well, maybe not ALL of it. Can’t say I’m a huge Avenged Sevefold fan (gasp, right?) but witnessing Alice Cooper do “School’s Out” was pretty unreal, and being at a bar sandwiched between Dave Grohl, Lars Ulrich, Rob Zombie, Sebastian Bach and Brian Posehn was alright, I guess. Memories.
Atmosphere, "The Family Sign"
As hip-hop is revitalized by an influx of youthful aggressors, Atmosphere has started getting interesting again just as the anger fades from its music. The shift began with 2008’s When Life Gives You Lemons …
So where do the tuxedos come in? Read the full review at The A.V. Club.
Chris Writes Things 