Preliminary Album Review: The Never Ending Way Of OrWarrior by Orphaned Land

Well, it’s the big day. 25 January 2010. After waiting six years for Israeli folk/death metallers Orphaned Land to follow their masterpiece Mabool, an album I christened one of the best metal albums of the 2000s, they have finally put out another album. The Never Ending Way Of OrWarrior (“warrior of light” in Hebrew) was originally tentatively slated for a late 2007 release, but given the band took eight years to put out Mabool after 1996’s El Norra Alila, I suppose it is just par for the course that it did not come out until now! Those of you in the US still have a tad more of a wait ahead of you: the album isn’t out there until the 9th of February.

This album is astonishingly complex and dense, both compositionally and thematically. I am currently on my fourth listen, but it is going to take longer than that for the album to fully sink in. The following represent just my earliest impressions.

Album Review: Contra by Vampire Weekend (again)

Yesterday, Ashley reviewed Contra by Vampire Weekend and inspired me to listen to it. After hearing the band’s self-titled debut from 2008, I wasn’t sure there was much hope for them. Occasionally, they showed glimpses of catchiness, but quickly ruined the show with horrendous lyrics posing as deep and thoughtful, horrendous instrumentation posing as “diversity”, and horrendous singing posing as … god knows what. But with Ashley’s review in my mind, I thought I would give Contra a chance. Could Vampire Weekend redeem themselves?

Album review: Shearwater – The Golden Archipelago

My desire to review the albums I listen to has grown rather exponentially since yesterday.  Could this be because I’m an attention whore and the Contra review garnered the most views on the blog evar.  Nah, I just really enjoy writing.  Unfortunately, I’m not very good at it, especially reviews, but I’m going to try to do this album justice, because, as of yet, it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve heard this year (because we are so far into it and I’ve heard so much). 

UPDATED! Album Review: Vampire Weekend – Contra

As I said in my “To Be Listened To” post, I’m going to try to review the new albums I listen to this year, but, I’m not going to lie, I’m not always going to feel compelled to do so.  Today, I feel compelled to do so.  This will not be a lengthy review, but, please, bear with me.  Today we review Vampire Weekend’s sophomore attempt.

Album Review: Astro Coast by Surfer Blood

Just about every review of Surfer Blood’s debut, Astro Coast, due out on the 19th of January, seems to mention “lo-fi”. Oh shit, now I’ve done it. But I’d like to make a point! Anybody who is labelling this “lo-fi” has clearly never listened to actual lo-fi music. Sure, this may have been recorded in the band members’ dormitory room, but you’d never know by the sound of it. Get back to me once you’ve listened to some of the early Dunedin releases, e.g. the Dunedin Double EP (The Chills, The Verlaines, The Stones, and Sneaky Feelings), The Clean’s early singles, The Rip’s A Timeless Piece, and The Weeds’ Wheatfields 7″ single, or for that matter go north to Wellington DIY anarcho-punks Riot 111. Then you might know what you’re talking about.

“So, Ax,” you say, “now that you’ve established how well you’re settling in as An Ocean Of Noise’s resident grumpy crank, what does Astro Coast sound like? How many strips are you going to tear off it?”

Not many, actually.

Albums to be listened to for 2010

Just a quick little post that I’ll be updated as the year progresses.  Currently, in no particular order:

Vampire Weekend – Contra

Eels – End Times

Spoon – Transference

L!o!s! C!a!m!p!e!s!i!n!o!s! – Romance Is Boring

Massive Attack – Heligoland

Hot Chip – One Night Stand

Yeasayer – Odd Blood

Shearwater – The Golden Archipelago

Ke$ha – Animal – Heard it, solid, fucking gold.

Smile Smile – Truth on Tape

OK Go Of The Blue – Colour Of The Sky

Ringo – Starr Y Not

Editors – In This Light And On This Evening

The Magnetic Fields – Realism

Shout Out Louds – Work

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Beat The Devil’s Tattoo

Frightened Rabbit – The Winter Of Mixed Drinks

Peter Gabriel – Scratch My Back

Lil Wayne – Rebirth – Ok, maybe technically I haven’t honestly heard this but…well…yeah.  Sooooo bad.

Anyways, I’ll be updating as the year progresses or something.  And of course, if you have any suggestions, please share.