So far this year there have been a number of releases from artists that just about everyone is excited about. So far we've had LCD Soundsystem, The National, Band of Horses, and She & Him. In addition, later this year bands like the Strokes and The Arcade Fire are releasing new records after a number of years and almost complete reclusiveness. These are bands that have a great deal of staying power, and huge sway in the music scene today. These are all releases that should move the bands' career forward and propel their music farther into the style and wonder that each of them possesses.
So far these releases have been less than satisfactory and down right bad in some cases. Let's go in order. LCD Soundsystem's first single off their latest album was a song called "Drunk Girls," which as I'm sure you can imagine possessed little to no worth. The rest of the album was perfectly adequate but this one flagship track took the album from fine to bad in a matter of minutes. The song, like most LCD Soundsystem tracks has a great deal of character and sonic enjoyment, but lacks any sort of lyrical substances. This track is no different.
The National's new record was actually pretty enjoyable and I rather liked some of the songs. There was nothing that stood out quite so immediately as off their previous record, but this new record held some real gems and overall is much darker than previous efforts, which at least means the band is moving in one direction or another, it is up to the listener to decide whether they like the change.
Band of Horses' new release just lacks luster. It has a lot of sheen and polish, but overall it has nothing that you would remember right off the bat. The one track "Dilly" that could have been a pretty solid single is performed too muted and slowly to be what you feel it should be. All the songs on this record are great, do not get me wrong, they are all good tracks, but it requires a lot of work to get into them. This is how the best albums usually are, but when its just another release of a band you only like sometimes, its hard to feel motivated to put that effort forth. I also feel that a band should have at least a few songs that are easy to "get" on an album in order to draw the listener in. All albums need an in.
She & Him's volume II was similar to the first album in style and execution, but not similar to the first album in lack of substance. The songs on the first album were written in what feels like a very intimate setting where the writer (Deschanel) seems to believe that they may never be heard. It gives them lots of emotional weight, and even the singing is more emotionally powerful. This album takes practically the same formula and tries to do it again, but it doesn't do it nearly as well or as enjoyably. It has a few stand out tracks like first single "In The Sun," which was a fun and fancy-free summer track to match any previous or forth coming summer song. The rest of the album sort of felt short of expectations, but I will continue to listen to it because I am truly in love with Zooey Deschanel's voice so I won't give up on it just yet.
Then there are those albums that are to come. We haven't heard anything off the new Strokes record yet, but it is likely to be a disappointment. I am keeping my fingers crossed, but not my hopes up.
Arcade Fire has already released a new EP/7" of songs off the new record, but they too left something to be desired. They were both about boring things like summer time, and the suburbs, and they just didn't have much to them. No variation, very little emotional connection, etc. Just sort of...there, without any reason to be. Again, fingers crossed, hopes not so high after hearing those songs.
All in all this year has been a year for really big releases and lots of really big let downs. It's not there isn't incredible music being released, like Josh Ritter's latest "So Runs the World Away" or Jonsi's "Go" both of which are phenomenal releases, so check them out if and when you can, you won't regret it, as for all these other ones...they're fine, if you're particularly interested in each of those bands, do yourself a favour and pick them up, but if you are just getting into them as bands, I'd recommend going to previous records to hear what everyone is talking about.
Peace.
*Mentioned in this post
LCD Soundsystem
The National
Band of Horses
She & Him
the Strokes
Arcade Fire
Josh Ritter
Jónsi
