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The Kooks - Inside In/Inside Out - Astralwerks

Already tagged with another of those “next big thing” labels, The Kooks, who pilfered their name from David Bowie’s Hunky Dory album, have already built a fanbase in the UK, and are now poised to join similarly scruffy-but-appealing bands like Arctic Monkeys and the Libertines in their attempts to crack the U.S.  An enthusiastic romp through the perils of romance, the set opens with the acoustic “Seaside” and moves on through tracks like the soulful “I Want You Back,” the huge guitars of “See the World,” the almost-punk “You Don’t Love Me,” the ska-tinged “Match Box,” and another catchy acoustic number, “She Moves In Her Own Way.”  The only detriment that can be found here is that the band is still floundering around as far as settling on their sound - but if these are what their beginning experiments sound like, just think how impressively and emotively superpop their sophomore effort is going to be.


The Mars Volta - Amputechture - UMVD

Slightly disjointed compared to previous releases but still a compelling listen, the Mars Volta continue on their experimental vein, which may draw you in right away, or which may take a few listens to take hold.  Beginning with the sound of distant bells and some of the usual ambient sounds we’ve come to expect from TMV, the opening track sets a strange dissatisfied tone for the album, but it seems to taper off with the arrival of the second song, “Tetragrammaton,” which sets a secondary tone by clanging and whirring along to its uncertain ending, leaving room for two of the disc’s more memorable tracks to start, namely “Vermicide” and “Meccamputechture,” which both hold together in a more thematic way and include some great organ and horn sounds.  Other notable tracks on this set include “Viscera Eyes” and the spooky sounding “El Ciervo Vulnerado,” which ends the disc on an uncertain but interesting tone.


Delirium - Nuages du Monde - Nettwerk

Adding several guest artists to their already fairly exotic sound, Delirium invites Isabel Bayrakdarian, Kiran Ahluwalia, and the Mediaeval Baebes to join their electronica escapade, and these collaborations definitely serve to enhance what Delirium already does so well.  Anchored by Delirium’s usual speedy electronica beats and highlighted by their dense, flowery instrumental arrangements, the entire album flows evenly along the morphing beats and the guests fit right in as if they’re always invited to these parties.  Ahluwalia’s vocals lend an East Indian feel to “Indoctrination” and Bayrakdarian’s soprano tones beautifully highlight “Lumenis,” while the Mediaevals supply vocals for “Sister Sojourn Ghost” and “Extollere” - and singer Jael also pops up to provide... well, a more pop-sounding tune titled “Lost and Found,” and Delirium make a strong solo showing on their own as well, with their instrumentals “Tectonic Shift” and “Apparition.”


The Black Keys - Magic Potion - Nonesuch

Pared down and rife with carefully modulated dynamics, each song on this effort highlights guitarist/singer Dan Auerbach’s slick blues-metal guitar skills, teaming them up with drummer Patrick Carney’s complimentary drum parts in a way that lets the songs seem to construct themselves.  Similar on the surface to the dynamic of the White Stripes (right down to the play on the two names), there’s a certain amount of copycatting as far as that garage-band structure (being as that both bands have the same exact instrumentation), but when it comes down to the compositions, they start veering apart almost from the get-go.  The blues are the blues - full of regret, longing, and questions;  but it’s the rare performer that can translate that traditional musical form without ending up sounding like a Holiday Inn cover band.  Auerbach succeeds, supported nicely by Carney, and they both bring a modern touch to a very old kind of music. View On Our Website