Wolfmother - Cosmic Egg

Okay, while there seems to be nine different versions of this record to choose from, I'll be discussing the "standard" version. Seriously, nine?!?! Even KISS isn't that brazen. While I was generally a fan of the debut, and I have no opinion about the line-up change, I am going to bet that this record sounds exactly like the last one. Maybe it's my Australian prejudice. Let's see...

Starting off right, "California Queen" is a much faster upbeat rocker than the dirgy riff rockers of the past. Kind of like Deep Purple's "Burn". This upbeat-ness sticks around for the first single, "New Moon Rising", which verses are simply unaccompanied drums, which should serve the remixers with some easy tools to cross over the song to some non-stoners. Stand-outs are the near-"N.I.B." ripoff with "Sundial" and "Phoenix", which could have come out the Chickenfoot sessions.

The album has it's humdrum moments too, of course. The title track is an uninspired riff followed by the story of people in a town that "get up but don't get down". I know we're being retro but we can get a little more clever than that. I also didn't care for "Far Away", which is an uncharacteristic poppy keyboard almost-ballad. It sounds like a hit and they'd be smart to get it remixed MGMT-style and release it.

In the end, Wolfmother has some tasty riffage. But they'll never be a Led Zeppelin or a Black Sabbath. The songs certainly don't have the as interesting of structures, the leads aren't nearly as fluid and come of very deliberate and for God sake, Mr. Stockdale- you need to buy a book. Read it. But I'm just being mean now. What is true is that while your "bonus disc" may include 27 live tracks and b-sides, your album proper simply does NOT need to have 14 tracks. Throw away 5, have 9 strong ones, and you'll truly be retro, and a a lot more fun.

Sundial - Wolfmother

Spiral Stairs - The Real Feel

Spiral Stairs is the pseudonym moniker of Pavement guitarist Scott Kannberg. This is first recording under that pseudonym, however. Just in time to throw on the Pavement reunion shows merch table. Good for him.

But Scott, a self-described fan of The Velvet Underground and Echo & The Bunnymen, Scott is completely devoid of those influences here. What he comes off recording is some mix of up-tempo strutting type of Nick Cave sounding stuff and some other far more breezy and relaxed California dreams. Not Christopher Cross, mind you, this is still indie rock, but you get the point. And if any other reviews mention something "Beach Boys"-ish, pay it no mind. They're simply referring to the off opportunities for some vocal harmony lines here and there.

For the best examples of the breezy, steel-guitar fueled stuff, hit up "Call The Ceasefire", "Cold Change" and "A Mighty Mighty Fall".

While none of the songs are what you would call "jammy", I still found them too long. Even at 5-6 minutes, there is simply too many times that there is an additional minute of each song where there's no soloing, no changes, just Scott maintaining the same chord structure in between verses for no seeming apparent reason. The chord is simply a vehicle to get your song moving, no need to spotlight it. "Blood Money" is a fine Wilco-style ballad, but make me producer, I'll cut your eight minutes to four without removing a verse.

My favorite of the bunch avoids most of the trappings from above and provides the best title of the group, too. I don't know if "Subiaco Shuffle" refers to Australia, Italy or Arkansas but I do know that along with the downright Frank-Black-punky "Stolen Pills", it's the best stomper in this otherwise placid collection.

The Pills video is included below, and it's great, but completely uncharacteristic of the rest of the record. In the end, there wasn't enough that felt real (see how i tied that back to the title?) in this collection to keep me coming back for more. (1.5 of 5 stars)

Thao With The Get Down Stay Down - Know Better Learn Faster

I didn't feel like listening to The Flaming Lips this week, so I'm trying something completely different. But that, of course, I mean something that I have never heard of. It's not that far reaching.

Thao is a chick singing over an indie rock band. Fans of the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs or The Raveonettes should have no problem jumping on board this collective (who, unbeknownst to me, have actually been around a few years)

Thao has written an album about relationships and the inherent trouble with them. Lyrically, the best summation of the album's themes can be heard on the title track, which you can hear below:

"But I need you to be better than me and you need me to do better than you"

"Body" is another highlight. A sexy beat and a quaint girly voice asking me to touch her. However, my demeanor and cynicism is such that I could totally ignore Thao's wiley ways, had it not been for the reckless abandon that kicks in when the Get Down Stay Down start wailing.

And that's true of the record as a whole for me. Thao's a good singer/writer/performer and that may be why the band bills her first in the name. But what sells it all to me is the jam. Not just indie guitar rock, but screaming violins and moaning horns keep Thao's otherwise lilting voice afloat. Conversely, when left seemingly to her own devices, like on "Good Bye Good Luck", she repeats a verse twice and the song just peters out.

So band: stand your ground. Thao: check yo self. You make a good band. (3 of 5 stars)

Know Better Learn Faster - Tha...

KISS - Sonic Boom

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I'm a huge KISS fan. Now, I don't normally do a track-by-track review. Today I will. Eat me. Important stats before we dig in:

This is KISS' first studio record in 11 years since their "reunion" record, Psycho Circus.
Peter & Ace have been replaced on tour and record with Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer, respectively.
Paul Stanley produced.
They're old. Don't expect miracles.

"Modern Day Delilah": The first single from the album and a strong opener. Paul's written a heavy riff, almost an upbeat Black Sabbath, "N.I.B."- especially when he kicks it off with the "Yeah, yeah" ala Ozzy. The song's about a predatory beast of a woman who gets her come-uppance when she makes Paul her target. Great Tommy solo.

"Russian Roulette": Another heavy one. AC/DC type-riff with such a great bass grumble that I wouldn't be surprised if Gene was not playing. What does surprise me is that Gene is singing with a strength and a cleanness that I haven't seen in him since some of the '80s stuff. Compliments aside, the cocksman lyrics leave a little to be desired. "The "Russian Roulette" chorus has absolutely nothing to do with the "I know you want me/Your knees are weak" lyrics.

"Never Enough": Another AC/DC-inspired strutter. Or maybe closer to an '80's hard rock AC/DC inspired band. Because this has a huge singalong chorus that Paul is famous for. It sounds so much like something, it's on the tip of my tongue. Plus, it's way under-produced, which I like. Lyrically, it's typical Paul. Living life to the fullest with no one standing in your way. That's a good way to be "typical".

"Yes I Know (Nobody's Perfect)": I almost blew this off as silly filler, but by the end, the chorus was sticking and I felt pretty good about it. Gene is definitely having fun with the lyric, which is about, what else- being awesome. He laughs at the end, but not in a cheeseball evil predator laugh. It really seems like he's enjoying himself. The song itself has a very retro KISS feel. This could easily have been on Rock And Roll Over. Right down to Tommy's pitch-perfect Ace-like solo.
"Stand": A Gene/Paul collaboration which sounds like other Gene-Paul collaborations. Specifically, "Stand" is modelled after "God Gave Rock And Roll To You II". Or maybe a composite of last album's "Raise Your Glasses" and "We Are One". Complete with the same Beach Boys inspired harmony break down followed by the big firework A-chord explosion. Sounds very late-'80s.
"Hot And Cold": This throwback to "Calling Dr. Love" exists only to add the KISS t-shirt slogan to a song: "If it's too loud, you're too old". But I can't give too much shit to a song whose lyrics also include the gem: "I've got the power any hour/Baby, feel my tower of power" Awesome.
''All For The Glory": Eric Singer takes the vocals on this and makes a strong showing. Not unlike Peter at his best. Another type of song about the camaraderie of being in a band that rockers just don't sing about anymore.

"Danger Us": "Danger you/Danger me/Danger us" Get it? Eight songs in, they haven't slowed down yet. Another strong Paul-rocker about gettin' down with the bad girls.

"I'm An Animal": Clearly my favorite song on this record. A Black Sabbath-y kinda riff mixed with some old "War Machine" or maybe "All Hell's Breakin' Loose" Gene put together a great sing along devil finger raiser. I hope they can nut up to play it live.

"When Lightning Strikes": KISS managed to do Tommy a solid and got him his own song. It's done in a very Ace-style and fits the character's persona. The song itself employs the cowbell to a greater extent than most KISS songs do. The verse makes me think of "Never Been Any Reason" by Head East.

"Say Yeah": Our producer gets to wind down the record with what is clearly the weakest song on the record. Sounds like Dokken or something from Paul's last record or 1983's "A Million To One". Whatever, it's no way to end an album. This is a "track 07" kind of song. The album is filled with anthems that would be perfect closers, but this one about the object of a girl's fantasy is filler.

Ultimate review, it definitely exceeded expectations. I wouldn't have minded if the band stepped outside and got some writers to help them find a wider net to fill some different lyrical topics. But, it rocks, it's not over absurd or pretentious. It's not written, for example like the last album, around a stage show theme which pushes the songs to a predetermined direction. It's got teeth, balls and it's loud. At least I know I'm not too old. (4 of 5 stars)

Langhorne Slim - Be Set Free

I was introduced to Langhorne Slim at Lollapalooza this year. It was easily one of the most intense, fun and deep performances I saw all year. Langhorne started as a solo blues-folky and added some accompaniment along the way. At Lolla, he had brought his upright bass player and drummer. (The former of which I had the great distinction of having a fairly frightening way drunk conversation with at a Chicago bus stop.)

On this album, Langhorne throws in the kitchen sink. Various percussion, keyboards, strings all serve to change dusty black and white photographs into rich colorful landscape paintings. Sean's songs, like many folkies, focus around the travelling vagabond's life. The one who's always looking for a home and is never truly satisfied. The one who falls in love with every woman he meets, but not enough to stay. It's not a new concept, but Langhorne's lyrics have an originality to them, ("I don't wanna break your heart, but I probably will."), and his Ben-Harper-like voice (or maybe an American Cat Stevens) really sells the romanticism of the trip.

And before I sell his folky-ness (folkivity?) too much, let us not forget what I said about throwing in the kitchen sink. Some of these songs, "Say Yes" and "Cinderella" for example, could easily be loved by your average fan of Arcade Fire or Modest Mouse. A lyric like the former's, "We're in California, but it might as well be the moon." mixed with it's group vocal dynamic could probably swing the Polyphonic Spree into doing a cover.

The only unfortunate thing is that this album was released in October. The vibe is clearly a May release. Now, we have to enjoy this music while fighting the cold and the snow. A perfect example is the country waltz barn dance "So Glad I'm Coming Home", but pretty much the rest of the album should be enjoyed down by the crick in the sunshine. (4 of 5 stars)