Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends

4.0/5
Coldplay's winning formula ran slightly dry on their 2005 release X&Y, causing the band to dig into creative depths never before encountered by Chris Martin and the others. As a result, they have come out with their most ambitious album to date. I can't stand when critics say music is "influenced by world music," because usually the claim is grossly exaggerated...so I won't say that, but I will say that this record certainly contains more interesting instrumentation used to great effect. The title track, "Viva La Vida", is swirling with strings, timpani, bells, and a rousing "Oh oh ohhhh" backing vocal line. "Lost!" is about as catchy as it gets, with shuffling drums, bold organ chords, and handclaps. "Yes" finds Chris Martin singing in an uncharacteristically low register, ending with the hidden "Chinese Sleep Chant" The first single that came out, "Violet Hill", is a good straight-up rock tune; the last 45 seconds consists of Martin singing longingly over simple and beautiful piano chords, giving me chills everytime (It's very reminscent of the last 1:30 of their 2002 song "Warning Sign"). Viva La Vida sounds amazing. The only thing that keeps this really good record from being a great record is that it seems like U2 already made it. Sometimes while listening to a certain track, I can picture U2 doing the exact same song. Nevertheless, it's still a great listen and big step forward for Coldplay.

My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges

4.0/5
It's so hard to pin My Morning Jacket into one genre. You can hear elements of classic rock, southern rock, country, indie, and funk. The only way you can categorize them is another great indie band with a crappy name (please see Death Cab for Cutie). This album seemed familiar to me from the very first listen, and I don't mean that in a bad way. It's like the band creates songs that haven't been done before, but when you hear it, you almost say to yourself "Duh, why hasn't anyone made this song yet?" "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream, Pt. 1" is a brilliant song full of synths and sustained chords. "Highly Suspicious" sounds like it could easily be a slightly cheesy Prince song. "I'm Amazed" is the best classic rock tune never written. "Sec Walking" is a country-tinged song that goes at a..well, walking pace. "Two Halves" sounds like a modern version of a long lost 1950s tune, "Librarian" is beautiful, "Aluminum Park" and "Remnants" rock, and "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream, Pt. 2" is epic. Great album from a band I'll hopefully be able to see live in September.

Weezer - Weezer a.k.a. The Red Album

3.0/5
I came into this album with an open mind, as opposed to the many critics and Weezer-haters who think they're just the worst band on the planet since The Green Album. I gave it a listen and quite liked it. Same result the second time. But every successive listen after that, the album has actually grown down on me. Obviously not much staying power here. The album still has its moments though. "Troublemaker" is catchy enough. "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" is a hilarious 6-minute epic looking to include 16 bars of every genre imaginable. "Pork and Beans" is easily the best song on the album, reminscent of their amazing Blue Album days (and a really funny video poking fun at all the recent YouTube sensations). "Heart Songs" is a super cheesy tribute to all of Rivers Cuomo's influences, but it's supposed to be cheesy. It actually gave me chills when I first heard Cuomo sing "Back in 1991, I wasn't havin' any fun / 'Till my roommate said 'Come on and put a brand new record on' / Had a baby on it, he was naked on it / Then I heard the chords that broke the chains I had upon me." "Everybody Get Dangerous" is a good, classic, catchy Weezer tune. The rest of the album? All downhill from there. Overall, a good album bordering on mediocre.

Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

4.0/5
The minute I heard the first single from Narrow Stairs, "I Will Possess Your Heart", Death Cab For Cutie went from being a good band to being a great band in my eyes. I revisited some old songs that my girlfriend gave me and I realized how awesome Death Cab was, substance mixed with an innate pop sensibility. Narrow Stairs easily lives up to what people have come to expect from, arguably, the leading indie band of our time. "I Will Possess Your Heart" starts off with a 4-minute intro; some think the song is too long, but you need to feel the groove. It is a perfect song, sparse yet engaging. The song characterizes the whole feel the album: beautiful melodies mixed with lyrics full of heartache. Often those lyrics are set to bright happy-sounding songs to great effect, such as on "No Sunlight". One of the clear highlights of the album is "Grapevine Fires", another song that shows the genius of frontman and songwriter Ben Gibbard. Narrow Stairs is probably DCFC's most ambitious, guitar-fueled album yet. So far it is the best album of the year, hands down.

Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

4.0/5
Take the Shins, infuse them with the earthiness and mind-blowing harmonies of Crosby, Stills & Nash, and you get Fleet Foxes. But don't be fooled by my comparisons: Fleet Foxes are in no way derivative of any bands that have come before them. They have their own unique sound, due in part to the impeccable production of their debut album. The record is fueled by harmonies that you just don't hear in most modern music, but when lead singer Robin Pecknold sings alone, the result is just as beautiful and natural. Lead single "White Winter Hymnal" is the definition of the subtle beauty that Fleet Foxes evokes throughout the whole record. It is a flawless album.