Reviews in Brief

(Or, "Things I Wanted to Write About, But Not THAT Much.")




Fountains of Wayne
Traffic and Weather
(Virgin)

First off, I have to say - I am (or at least, was) a HUGE Fountains of Wayne fan. The band's first two albums, the self-titled debut and Utopia Parkway, are modern power-pop masterpieces chock full of undeniable hooks and humor. Even the band's third album, Welcome Interstate Managers, which featured the irritating-but-forgivable top-40 single "Stacy's Mom," had more than a few moments. But everything that made their previous efforts click (the funny pop-culture references, character-based storytelling, relentless poppy-ness, etc.) comes back to haunt them on Traffic and Weather - it just feels phoned-in. When lead singer Chris Collingwood name-drops Coldplay and the King of Queens in the album's opener, the dance-rock genre exercise "Someone to Love," everything about it just comes off as pandering and forced. The rest of the album just heads downhill from there . . . I can't fucking believe that Spin and Rolling Stone gave this album good reviews - further proof that I am officially way too old to read those magazines.

Grade: D

Fountains of Wayne - "Someone to Love" - MP3



the Bird Ensemble
Migration
(self-released)

There is a long list of things I don't understand in this life, and instrumental indie-rock music is definitely one of them. That's not to say that this band is bad, I just don't get it - too much of Migration feels like background music to me. My mind starts to wander amid the wash of chiming guitars and droning rhythms - I generally prefer music to grab me, slap me around a little, and force me to submit to it's will. This album is okay, but doesn't quite do that. Somebody grab a mic, for cryin' out loud.

Grade: C

the Bird Ensemble on VIRB



Acute
Arms Around a Stranger
(Help)

At different times on Arms Around a Stranger, Acute reminds me of lots of things I like - Sebadoh, Ned's Atomic Dustbin, the Rentals and Elephant 6-type stuff, all of which make for a pretty good comparison. In fact, I'm genuinely surprised at how much this record has grown on me over the last couple of weeks, but here I am, giving it a really good review. And why not? Tastefully produced by Dave Trumfio (Grandaddy, Wilco, My Morning Jacket), Arms Around a Stranger is a solid, heartfelt pop record, with lush guitars and intricate string and horn arrangements providing the perfect setting for frontman/songwriter Isaac Lekach's lovelorn pop anthems.

Grade: B+

Acute - "Follow You Home" - MP3



Dinosaur Jr.
Beyond
(Fat Possum)

Upon first listen, I thought this record sounded like shit. But then I cranked it up, and all was revealed. (PS - It helps if you listen to it at a recording studio.) Frontman/guitar-god J Mascis, thankfully re-united with his original Dinosaur Jr. bandmates Lou Barlow (Sebadoh, Folk Implosion) and Murph, has got to be completely deaf after cranking out so much blazing, eardrum-melting overdrive as to all-but swallow up his capable (and by no means "quiet") rhythm section, but God-bless him for sacrificing himself for our greater good. This record sounds and feels like a classic, SST-released Dinosaur Jr. record, which is probably why it ended up coming out on Epitaph's blues imprint Fat Possum rather than a major - it's just too lo-fi, too grimy, too real for the Warners and Atlantics of this world. And there's no obvious break-out single ala "Feel the Pain," there's just a TON of skull-shattering guitars, J and Lou's charmingly aloof vocals, with a hint of that pounding rhythm. I love this record.

Grade: A-

Dinosaur Jr. - "Almost Ready" - MP3