The Simpsons: Testify / 2007 Shout Factory / 41 Tracks / http://www.thesimpsons.com / http://www.shoutfactory.com / Throughout the years, The Simpsons have had a number of different CDs capturing the countless songs that have been present during the show’s run. This disc collects the songs that made it into episodes during the 10th through the 18th seasons. Of particular note right off the bat are “Homer & Margeâ€, a parody of…
Daryl Hall & John Oates – Home For Christmas / 2007 U-Watch / 11 Tracks / http://www.hallandoates.com / Hall and Oates have been together for longer than I have been alive. As I get older, the number of acts that can say that decreases, but Hall and Oates have been cranking out their music for about forty years now. However, “Home For Christmas†is a little bit different from their…
Cut Off Your Hands – Shaky Hands / 2007 I Am Sound / 6 Tracks / http:///www.cutoffyourhands.com / http://www.myspace.com/iamsoundrecords / Cut Off Your Hands play a brand of energetic indie rock that is first shown to audiences during “You&Iâ€. The jangly nature of this track fuzzes over slightly the intensity of the band’s compositions. The track is sufficiently short to not give individuals a full glance at what Cut Off…
The Femurs – Modern Mexico / 2007 Self / 12 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/thefemurs “Vitamins†is the first song on the new Femurs album. For those that did not know, the Femurs (or “Los Femursâ€, as they are known on the front cover of “Modern Mexicoâ€), have been around for a few years. “Modern Mexico†is a collection of these songs, and shows off why exactly the band has been accumulating…
DJ Axel – Breakin’ The Law / 2007 Holden / 15 Tracks / http://www.djaxel.com / I love mashups, and when individuals are able to make completely new albums (such as in the case of Girl Talk), the love only increases. I must admit, I had not heard much about DJ Axel in the past, although I was aware of a number of mashup albums (most famously, “The Grey Albumâ€). Anyways,…
Paul Oakenfold – Greatest Hits & Remixes / 2007 Ultra / 20 Tracks / http://www.pauloakenfold.com / http://www.ultrarecords.com / When it comes to electronic and dance music, Paul Oakenfold is right up there (if not exceeding) individuals like the Pet Shop Boys and The Chemical Brothers. This album marks an interesting premise for a “greatest hits†compilation. Rather than just having the songs originally penned by Oakenfold (“Starry Eyed Surpriseâ€, “Ready…
Innerpartysystem – The Download EP/ 2007 Stolen Transmission / 6 Tracks / http://www.innerpartysystem.com / http://www.stolentramsission.com / Innerpartysystem starts out this EP with a blend of electronic sounds and styles that blend together techno with more ambient bands. Cobine this blend of styles with an angular approach to rock a la Franz Ferdinand or even the Offspring and individuals have the general sound of Innerpartysystem during “Don’t Stopâ€. This first track…
Boy/girl – Secret Secret Secret Singles / 2007 307 Knox / 5 Tracks / http://www.307knoxrecords.com / The disc starts off with “Alcohol and certain medicationsâ€, a track that blends together more tribal, middle eastern style of music with different untraceable quotations (besides the fact that they are political in some sense). This intro works well with the rest of the EP, which turns “Secret Secret Secret Singles†into an eleven…
Sona – Man In The Mirror / 2007 Imperial / 4 Tracks / http://www.imperial-recordz.com / I had no idea who Sona was before “Man In The Mirrorâ€, but a very nineties sound starts off “Dreamsâ€, the first of a double single captured on this CD. “Dream†shows that Sona has a Tupac like style, while the instrumentation captured as the backing beat for this track really continues this comparison. The…
The Narrows – Benjamin / 2007 Wantage / 4 Tracks / http://www.wantageusa.com / The Narrows start off their “Benjamin†with a heavy bit of drudge and sludge, in “The Sasquatchâ€. “The Sasquatch†has much more of a pop style to it than would be present on a The End Records or Hydra Head Records band, and at points, I can hear a little bit of Audioslave present in the band’s…
Landon – Defying The Stereotype / 2006 Self / 8 Tracks / http://www.landonband.com / “Only 20†is a track that is interesting to me. The Spartan, heavily electronic style of the instrumental segment of the track is good enough, but the vocals only reach their stride when Landon moves from the spoken style of vocals to something much more singing-heavy. “Only 20†has catchy bits, but is not solid enough…
Girl In A Coma – Both Before I’m Gone / 2007 Blackheart / 13 Tracks / http://www.girlinacoma.com / http://www.blackinacoma.com / I’m not sure if Girl in a Coma has changed the title of the Smiths classic for their own profit, but “Both Before I’m Gone†shows a band that is trying their hardest to create their own sound. Obviously, they have some pretty powerful supporters – no less than Joan…
Blake Lewis – Break Anotha / 2007 Sony / 1 Track / http://www.myspace.com/blakelewis / Anyone that knows me knows that I pretty much loathe American Idol. Sure, there have been one or two idol stars I could stand after the show (Clarkson and Aiken, primarily), but the vast majority of post-Idol albums have been drek. Blake Lewis, with eir single “Break Anothaâ€, is trying to change that. What Lewis trying…
Athlete – Beyond The Neighbourhood / 2007 Astralwerks / 11 Tracks / http://www.athlete.mu / Athlete is perhaps the biggest band that no one has heard of in the United States. Their last album, “Touristâ€, went double platinum, and “Beyond The Neighbourhood†is poised to do the same thing. From the opening strains of “In Between 2 Stateâ€, Athlete shows that they understand how to get individuals involved with their music.
Countime – Broken Blinded Betrayed / 2006 No Joke / 7 Tracks / http://www.nojokereordsla / “From The Heavens Above†is the first track on “Broken Blinded Betrayed†and it shows Countime as an act that loves their classic, “tough guy†hardcore. The band produces fast, heavy, and intense hardcore music that has more than its fair share of metal influence. Note that during “From the Heavens Above†that Countime do…
The Good Night Fight – Serpentine / 2007 Brave New Records / 5 Tracks / http://www.myspace.com/thegoodnightfight / http://www.bravenewworldrecords.com / The Good Night Fight start off their “Serpentine†EPO with a track in “Conqueror Worm†that is nothing out of the ordinary. What the band does during this track is throw in screaming, metal-like vocals with a set of instruments that would work well in a Fu Manchu or a CKY…
First To Leave – Forging A Future / 2007 Wednesday Records / 12 Tracks / http://www.firsttoleave.org / http://www.wednesdayrecords.com / Man, I had no idea that First To Leave was going to sound like how they end up sounding at the beginning of “Forging A Futureâ€. The cover of this album is very nondescript when it comes to giving clues about the band, so needless I was shocked when I heard…
Silence Is Safety – S/T / 2007 Teeno / 7 Tracks / http://www.teenorecords.com / Silence Is Safety plays a style of rock that has not been heard on the radio for about ten years. There are hints of the Goo Goo Dolls as well as with the Spin Doctors, but the energy present during this track is high enough that individuals can get behind this female-lead band. “He Doesn’t Know 
Middle Distance Runner – S/T / 2007 Self / 6 Tracks / http://www.middledistancerunner.com/ “The Sun and Earth†is the first track on this EP, and it starts out in a sedate way. However, the tempo is something that slowly builds up to give individuals something to get amped up with. The neat composition allow the vocals to take a focal part of the band’s sound, and while the act is…
Chris Botti – Italia / 2007 Sony / 12 Tracks / http://www.chrisbotti.com / http://www.sony.com / Ah , Chris Botti. Before I received a copy of “Italiaâ€, I had no clue who you were. For those individuals that want a short backdrop, Botti is a trumpeter that has released nine solo albums over the course of twelve years. Much of Botti’s work can be broadly categorized as “smooth jazzâ€, but there…