Kid Cudi - "Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager"
Even before having being released, Kid Cudi was surrounded by hype over his latest 'chillout/rock out', album which hasn't failed to disappoint. Although his first album, 'Man On The Moon I" is a little more to my likings, tracks on the album like, 'Revofev', 'Maniac', 'These Worries', and 'Erase Me' leave Hip-Hop/Rap nominations almost certain. The first track Scott Mescudi Vs. The World, features Cee-Lo Green and is a bouncy, deep track, which can be catchy, but almost annoying track at times. The next track Revofev, is filled with the sounds of multiple instruments, including, a violin, keyboard, drums, electric guitar, and what sounds like jingle bells. The album progresses through to the song 'Marijuana', where, as you guessed it, leaves you feeling 'high'. Most likely because of the slow passed beat and singing of angels in the background. This theme continues throughout majority of album, but despite this there are some very good instrumental and rock pieces that will leave you satisfied.
Wintersleep - "New Inheritors"
With close ties to so many other big hit indie bands, it's no wonder that Wintersleep has managed to compile a good selection of songs for their latest CD, 'New Inheritors'. Only moments into listening to the CD you will find as I did, that it contains a common sound throughout the album. Tracks that stood out were, well... all of them. From the first track, Experience The Jewel, containing an opening of violin, to the final song Baltic, with its heavy drum beating and it's closing the album keeps you interested, which can't be said for many other CD's. So trust me if you have a CD to buy for the week, this should be it, you won't be disappointed.
Land Of Talk - "Cloak & Cipher"
Until recently, Land of Talk, an indie-rock trio out of Montreal, was a completely unknown band to me. Despite hearing thier successful hit with 'It's Ok', I had not one bit of clue to who, or what, Land of Talk was. However thanks to a few other sources I came across this Broken Social Scene sounding group, and was pleasently suprised. With contributions from members of bands like, Arcade Fire, Stars, Besnard Lakes, and Wintersleep, the album is a creative yet easy an listen. The first track off of this newest album is 'Cloak and Cipher' is a good track that sets the stage for the rest of the album, and leaves a good first impression. The next few tracks 'Goaltime Exposure' and 'Quarry Hymns' are my favourite tracks, and prove why Land of Talk is worthy of an honourable mention. This series of solid tracks is carried throughout out the rest of the album, but instead of my review every single track I suggest you go out and buy the album and enjoy this great piece of work. To see more of Land Of Talk, visit their website on http://www.landoftalk.com/ or on their MySpace on http://www.myspace.com/landoftalk
Thieves Like Us - "Again and Again"
With songs like 'Forget Me Not' and 'The Walk', The American-Swedish trio, Thieves Like Us has released thier sophmore album, 'Again And Again'. The album is filled with electric beats, and an overall eclectic sound. The album starts off with the track 'Not Known Love'(not my favourite), which is a deep, 80's sounding, mix of well..., I'm not really sure. Happily though, the album is saved by the following track 'Shyness', which is a track a little more to my liking, due to is up-beat vibe. The same sound is carried throughout the majority of the rest of the album, on tracks like 'One Night With You', and 'Lover Lover'. However, the song that really makes this album is 'Forget Me Not'. By far my favourite, due to the catchy keyboard synth, and acoustic guitar riff, which is carried throughout the song. If you would like to check out more by Thieves Like Us, visit their website at http://www.thieves-like-us.com/ or on their myspace, http://www.myspace.com/thieveslikeus.
Arcade Fire - "Suburbs"
With the release of the new Arcade Fire album 'The Suburbs' (available August 3rd), on it's eve, fans are on thier toes for the highly anticipated release. However for those who can't wait, Arcade Fire has pre-released two tracks off of the upcoming CD through iTunes which can be bought for about $1.98 CAD. Despite this, the album has inevitably been leaked onto the internet and can be found on various websites, including YouTube where the tracks have already seen much foot traffic. As a result of this, I was able to give the album a listen too and can say that almost all of the tracks are a good combination of acoustic and instrumental beats. The album begins with the track "The Suburbs" and moves into deep feeling tracks with, "Ready To Start" and "Rococo". Overall I would give the album 4/5 and can say that I would not be surprised to see a Juno or NME nod for this spectacular album. The indie rockers from Montreal, Quebec kick off their tour in thier hometown at the Osheaga Festival with other performers such as Keane, The National, The Black Keys, and fellow Canadian's Metric, and Stars. Osheaga is then followed by a series of shows in the US including Boston, Philidephilia, New York, Columbia, Chicago, Nashville and Atlanta, stopping back in Toronto before heading off to Europe for a few jampacked shows.
