JEBEDIAH/JIMMY EAT WORLD- Split

I will make no apologies. Jimmy Eat World is one of my all-time favorite bands, and as such, I went into this particular disc with a bit of a bias. Despite the billing order, J.E.W. starts off the disc with a rarity called "The Most Beautiful Things," which is quite good, and likens back to the Clarity/Bleed American days... Which makes sense, because it was released a year after Clarity and a year before Bleed American. The song has a hard-hitting Chorus, and some great vocal lines. The second song is "No Sensitivity," which is the only song I had heard off this disk before I bought it, and would have been worth the price by itself. This is one of my all-time favorite Jimmy tracks, and I'm stoked to own it. the guitars slide through a slick arrangement, and the rhythm section keeps the song flowing nicely, but the real centerpiece is the vocals, with cutting lyrics and a passionate performance. The third song is an early demo-version of "Cautioners" which ended up in a more polished form on Bleed American. This is a great song, but the album version is more enjoyable. I think there might even be some phase problems on the drums... Next up Jebediah comes on the scene, and is completely tolerable, and even a little catchy, if it wasn't for the singer's highly nasal voice, poor pronunciation, and lyrical clumsiness. the vocal lines are pretty catchy in themselves, and at his best, he sounds a bit like the lead singer of The Vines, but for the most part, his voice and the lyrics completely fair to make these songs more than passively worthwhile. All in all, this is a fun little disc, and worth the money if you are a Jimmy fan. Or a Jebediah fan, although I can't say I've ever encountered one...

6/10

SUFJAN STEVENS- Seven Swans

Myself as an aspiring recording engineer, Sufjan Stevens has earned my eternal contempt and admiration, for constantly turning out albums that sound spectacular without really seeming to try. This album is no exception. I was familiar with Stevens' two state-themed CD's and some of his Christmas music, and I liked pretty much all of of it without exception. That being said, I wasn't expecting a lot out of this CD. It had been my understanding that Mr. Stevens had hit his stride with "...Michigan...", and risen to higher heights on "...Illinois..." This, I assumed was merely an early clump of songs by an artist who, though talented, hadn't found himself yet. I was absolutely wrong. Not only was this album put out after "...Michigan..." (and not before, like I had assumed), but also this album is absolutely brilliant. It is a fabulously-written album. I didn't think Sufjan could hold his own without a unifying theme, but these songs, while varied in topic, all show a commonality in perspective. Listening to these songs is like listening to a child describing things he doesn't understand. He speaks in simple phrases, in metaphors. As a lyricist, Stevens has a way of saying almost nothing at all that's explicit or direct. His lyrics are quietly understated, and this keeps the listener attentive, and forces your imagination to build a scene. It makes for a very personal listening experience, since the listener partially participates in the creation of the song. I Love This Record.
9/10

THE SWAY MACHINERY- Hidden Melodies Revealed

This band is out of control. Imagine a Jewish Super-group. If this is difficult, begin listening to the Sway Machinery right now, and then read the rest of the review. If you can handle that concept, please proceed with me. This particular ensemble (made up of member of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Balkan Beat Box, Toms Wait's band and others) plays a type of music I can't say I've heard anywhere else in modern music. It's a kind of wild, eclectic, Klezmer, punk, indie-conglomerate which I find to be incredible fun and cool. I got the first single "Anim Zemiros" on a free sample from Amazon mp3, and within a half an hour of my first listen I had ordered the CD. I would have to say that "Anim Zemiros" is in fact the stand-out track on this album, but if you like it, the whole album is worthwhile. The only parts of this CD I didn't like were the dramatic reading/monologue-things scattered between the songs. They were worth one listen, but tended a little heavily toward the melodramatic and disjointed. All in all, though, for any fan of Klezmer, world, unusual, or excellent music, The Sway Machinery is Highly recommended.
6.5/10

Greetings. It Begins.

Hello, all!
My greetings to you. I recently (a few minutes ago) decided that, in order to attempt control over my music purchasing habit, I would write a review of every CD I purchase in 2010 and (perhaps) beyond. Thanks to the wonders of the internet, I was able to just jump right online and get started. I hope that, if you are reading this, my thought will be of use to you, and my attempts at correct spelling, grammar and punctuation will be a welcome relief in the world of the modern internet.