The Met's music picks

Written by Julie Maas
(pretko@mscd.edu)

Lily Allen - It's Not Me It's You
Fans of Lily Allen missed her.

They missed her sweet voice delivering honest and crass lyrics over mixed beats and reggae/ska sounds. On her sophomore effort, Its Not Me, It’s You, she almost delivers. The first two tracks play like a run-on sentence of over-produced dance beats and so-so vocals. However, the third track, “Not Fair,” a song about being in a relationship with someone who is wonderfully caring, but selfish in bed, delivers Allen’s trademark wit and honesty, backed by banjo and a killer dance beat. “Fuck You” is a fantastic song in which Allen drops f-bombs that attack ignorance with pure, sweet sass. The middle of the album finally delivers all to love about Allen: those first-time-around, mixed-up beats, creative vocals and clever lyrics that distinguishes her from the other Brit-pop divas of the day. The final tracks fall a little flat, but overall the album is energetic and enjoyable. Allen’s lyrics and vocals aren’t as on-point as on Alright, Still, but it does the job of keeping her in the game.


Written by Roberto Dominguez
(dominrob@mscd.edu)

Morrissey - Years of Refusal
Morrissey’s cult status continues to evolve and gain momentum as, over the years, his music continues to appease longtime fans. Steven Patrick Morrissey hails from Lancashire, England, where his music roots date back to the ’70s.

Morrissey’s popularity began in the ’80s, during his time as lyricist and frontman of The Smiths. The band, which included lead guitarist Johnny Marr and drummer Andy Rourke, created music that delved into the emotional depths of the human mind. The pop-laden songs, with warbling guitar, accompanied Morrissey, whose style is a cross between a young Elvis and Frank Sinatra, well. The band disintegrated in 1987 and Morrissey forged ahead with a solo career.

Despite often being overshadowed by the legacy of The Smiths during his 21-year, solo career, Morrissey emerges with his 10th release, Years of Refusal. Early radio releases “That’s How People Grow Up” and “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris” are powerful songs that observe the nuances and solitude of existence with catchy hooks that neutralize the sullen lyrics. Morrissey’s persona evokes cynical observations, which fuel his untouchable image. “It takes me a long time to make friends. I just do not like people,” Morrissey said. Paradoxically, Morrissey may not like people, but his fans love him anyhow.

Morrissey will be embarking on a world tour this month to support his new release. The nearest stop to Denver will be April 15 in Albuquerque, just days after Morrissey is scheduled to perform ahead of Paul McCartney at the Coachella Festival in Southern California.

Written by Julie Maas
(pretko@mscd.edu)

M.Ward - Hold Time
If you haven’t already heard of M. Ward, you are missing out on one of the best singer-songwriters of our time. He’s a troubadour, reminiscent of Tom Waits, but with a more soothing whisper. Influenced by early country, his velvet vocals and effortless guitar playing take you to a different place. His sixth solo release, Hold Time, plays like a collection of short stories reflecting on life and love, sometimes through the eyes of death. With “For Beginners” acting as a prologue, through the worldly “Shangri-La,” it is a solid album from start to finish. The title track and “Oh Lonesome Me,” featuring Lucinda Williams, act as quick breathers in an otherwise upbeat album. Ward brings along his partner in crime from previous project She & Him, actress Zooey Deschanel, on two tracks, emphasizing superb harmonies no matter who takes the lead. The closing track is a quaint instrumental called “Outro (I’m a Fool to Want You).” You’d be a fool not to listen and love what you hear.

Written by Stephanie DeCamp
(sdecamp@mscd.edu)

And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of The Dead - Century of Self
For all of the amazing artistry shown on their major-label debut, 2002’s Source, Tags and Codes, …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead’s following two albums, found the band lost in the stormy seas their music so often recalls. But for those who wrote them off four years ago, the band need not reply with anything other than their new album, The Century of Self.
From opening track to resolute coda, Trail of Dead becomes a veritable Poseidon, commanding the angry waves of their songs to crash any who dare sail their ocean. It is a dramatic rescue, really, for a band who almost found themselves lost in the deserts of progressive-rock overindulgence. The recurrent theme of “Insatiable: Parts One and Two” clearly channels The Doors, circa “Spanish Caravan,” and the boys themselves haven’t lost an inch of their instrumental mastery. Indeed, this is an album where one can acknowledge not remembering any of the lyrics, as they are clearly overwhelmed by bullet showers of drums and daunting synth effects. The resulting culmination is nothing if not a reminder that sometimes a good band needs to wander for awhile. A good band can always come back.

Written by Matt Pusatory
(mpusatory@mscd.edu)

Various Artists - Dark is the Night
Dark Was The Night is packed with excellent performances from some of indie rock’s most respected performers. The track listing reads like an indie rock fan’s dream. The double-disc collection includes the likes of Spoon, The Decemberists, Arcade Fire and My Morning Jacket. The contributors for the album donated all original material, and if that weren’t enough, all the proceeds go to the Red Hot Organization, a charity dedicated to HIV/AIDS research.

The songs on this compilation are all worth listening to and in spite of its daunting 31 tracks, not one should be skipped. The album boasts all original material from its performers, including some new takes on a spattering of covers — the most notable remake being My Brightest Diamond’s incredibly sexy take on “Feeling Good,” made famous by Nina Simone. (Also, check out Cat Power’s bluesy, Ray Charles-esque version of “Amazing Grace.”) The true standout, though, is the title track. Originally performed by “Blind” Willie Johnson, “Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground” is one of the most emotional blues songs ever, and the Kronos Quartet do the song justice in a very eerie way.

The original songs are great as well, but there are a few letdowns. Iron & Wine’s one-minute “Die” feels weak when sandwiched between The Decemberists’ eight-minute “Sleepless” and Sufjan Stevens’ 10-minute monster “You Are The Blood.” Dark Was The Night is everything a good compilation should be. With so many highs and so few lows, it is begging for a spot in your collection.

Written by Jeremy Johnson
(jjohn308@mscd.edu)

Various Artists - War Child:Heroes
War Child International’s Heroes, is a multifaceted and surprisingly competent compilation, with some of contemporary indie rock and pop’s very best paying homage to luminary rock predecessors, and album proceeds going to children of war-torn regions around the globe. The concept behind the collection is ambitious, if not necessarily heroic: original artists picking young talent to cover old classics. This approach creates a doubly pleasing effect, as artists, after all, know their own work best, and the match-ups make for some fresh, new takes on timeless folk, rock and pop. For instance, Hot Chip’s cover of Joy Division’s “Transmission,” is electronically sublime, and The Hold Steady — undeniably cut from E Street cloth — show why they’re ballad bosses in their own right with their tribute, “Atlantic City.” Heroes also highlights modern-day divas such as Britain’s Estelle (“Superstitious”) and Duffy (“Live and Let Die”), and Canadian gender-bending diva Peaches with her appropriately convincing cover of glam godfather Iggy Pop’s “Search and Destroy.” The icing on the classic cake is contemporary riot grrrl Lily Allen’s cover of The Clash’s “Straight to Hell,” (written by Allen’s dead godfather, Joe Strummer, and featuring living member Mick Jones), which conveys the same coy cynicism and haunting melodies that made the original genre-jumping version so versatile. Indie rockers Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Franz Ferdinand and The Like pay CBGB dues with spirited renditions of “Sheena Is a Punk Rocker,” “Call Me” and “You Belong to Me,” respectively. Even TV on the Radio’s slightly convoluted arrangement of the conspicuous Bowie classic and album namesake, “Heroes,” plays in the same, souped-up vein of pop-god worship. But not every cover is a gem. A seasoned indie vet in his own right, Beck’s translation of Bob Dylan’s “Leopard-Skin Pillbox Hat” falls flat, losing Dylan’s trademark sarcasm in a void of electronic clap-trap. And Adam Cohen’s ode to his father Leonard, “Take This Waltz,” falls a little too close to the Cohen tree. Sure, rock and roll has never really saved the world. But the heroes on this album make this compilation a monumental one all the same.