The Reputation - The Reputation
Sweet, bitter, and smart. Those words describe The Reputation and their lead singer, Elizabeth Elmore. Elmore, formerly of the band Sarge, has a sweet and pure sounding voice that delivers straightforward, honest, and sometimes bitter lyrics. She also must be really smart, because she attends Northwestern Law School, one of the most prestigious in the country. The Reputation is pop to the core, ranging from spare piano and vocal arrangements to uptempo punk. The combination of the great songwriting, Elmore's captivating voice, and the band's catchy melodies make this a must have CD for indie pop fans.
Web Link: http://www.reputationmusic.com
Ultimate Fakebook - Open Up and Say Awesome
What a great album title. It's a takeoff of Poison's Open Up and Say Ahh, but Ultimate Fakebook definitely is not hair metal. The awesome part is accurate, though, and this CD combines the geek/emo sound of Weezer, the punk sound of Green Day, and the arena rock sound of Cheap Trick into a powerful pop package. Lead singer/guitarist Bill McShane looks and sounds a bit like Elvis Costello, but rocks a lot harder. Open Up and Say Awesome is chock full of big hooks, memorable guitar riffs, and sing-along choruses. As Dick Vitale would say if he heard this CD, it's awesome baby!
Web Link: http://www.ultimatefakebook.com
Various Artists - Fields and Streams
Kill Rock Stars Records continues their long tradition of kick-ass compilations with their latest effort, Fields and Streams. It's a double CD set focusing on females, with 37 of the 45 songs from female singers or female-fronted bands. Indie rock fans will see some familiar names, such as the Butchies, The Rock A Teens, Bangs, Mary Timony, and Comet Gain. There are also some great new bands, or at least bands I'm not familiar with that sound very good, like Manda and the Marbles, Delta Dart, Tender Trap, The Dishes, and The Process. It's impossible to listen to these CDs and not want to go out and buy the entire CDs so you can hear more music from your favorite artists. That, of course, is the point of compilation albums, and this is a very good one.
Web Link: http://www.killrockstars.com
Various Artists - Sedated in the Eighties Volume 6
There are a million 80s compilation CDs available. One of the best collections of 80s music you'll find is the Sedated in the Eighties series. What makes this collection so good is their combination of hit songs, more obscure songs by well-known artists, and great songs by artists you may not have heard of. For example, Volume 6 has the hit singles "Manic Monday", "Take on Me", and "Everybody Wants to Rule the World", an obscure song from Eurythmics, "SexCrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four), and songs such as Suicidal Tendencies "Institutionalized", Camper Van Beethoven's "Pictures of Matchstick Men", and Stan Ridgway's "Drive, She Said" that are quality songs from that era that never made the pop charts. If you're looking for a good, well-rounded collection of 80s music, you must have the Sedated in the Eighties series.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
