2008 Q2 Music Report

Here are my highlights for the second quarter of 2008.

Portishead - Third

I love the tempo of the opening track, "Silence" and its abrupt ending (I assume this is what the title refers to). The fourth track, "The Rip" is the other standout, and employs a similar effect of adding new layers of sound as the song progresses. The only song I find myself routinely skipping is "Machine Gun" - I guess the industrial sounding drums are too much for me. Plus, the last minute reminds me of the theme song from the Terminator movies.

Sigur Rós - Med Sud I Eyrum Vid Spilum Endalaust

This is the least "Sigur Rós sounding" album they have put out, and the result is a welcome change in direction. The sound is more upbeat, but without losing that whimsical quality. If previous albums were "sleepy," then this one is "dreamy." No song characterizes this bouncy new sound more than the opening track, "Gobbledigook." My only complaint about this album is that I find myself tuning out and losing interest around the half-way mark. A quick look at the "play count" next to each track in Media Player: 8 (track 1), 7, 7, 6, 6, 6, 4, 4, 4, 3, 2 (track 11)

Quiet Village - Silent Movie

This album is hard to describe - it’s a sort of weird mix of a bunch of different sounds and genres. The title "Silent Movie" might have something to do with the fact that this album sounds like the score to a 1970’s blaxploitation movie in a lot of ways (see track 2, "Circus of Horror" and track 6, "Broken Promises" for examples). This album also reminds me of a lot of the music I liked to listen to when I was stoned in college: Air, Zero-7, Thievery Corporation, Bent, Cinematic Orchestra, etc. There’s even a song called "Too High to Move" (track 4).

Honorable Mentions:

• Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight
• Girl Talk - Feed the Animals
• Gnarls Barkley - The Odd Couple