4Play

Feb. 17, 2008

Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend - XL
Already hailed as one of 2008’s hot new bands, Vampire Weekend melds unexpected influences together to catch both critics and music fans off-guard. The U.S. East Coast band blends indie-rock, prep-pop, and Afro-centric stylings in a mix that’s reminiscent of David Byrne or Paul Simon’s Graceland - but it’s both more citi-fied and more punk than both of those, making it even more difficult to define. Highlights include the organ-meets-electric-guitars “Mansard Roof,” the mohawk’d “A-Punk” with its busy bass line, the retro Dave Clark Five-ish sound of “Campus,” and the danceable, African-percussion-filled “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa.” They’re different, and different in this case definitely means cool.

Morten Harket - Vogts Villa - Sony BMG
If you’re waiting for the new album from ageless A-Ha singer Morten Harket (the upcoming Letters from Egypt, which will be out later this year), this re-release will easily tide you over in the meantime - provided you’re not hung up on the English language. Harket’s Vogts Villa is different in that it’s sung in his native Norwegian language, but still has the same great melodic pop, if less synth-ridden. Full of acoustic instruments, each song paints a different mood, and he even translates one of his own earlier songs (“Lay Me Down Tonight”) into a Norwegian version (“Vuggevise”). If you’re expecting “Take On Me,” you won’t get it here; but you will get some very affecting songs
from a talented singer.

Ray Davies - Working Man’s Cafe - New West
A brand new studio album from Kinks singer-songwriter (and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer) Ray Davies, this set features a dozen songs that spotlight the regular working man, a literal thematic translation of the album’s title. Appropriately recorded in Nashville, it includes a hearty dose of Davies’ sharp wit and cultural opinions, and the majority of the songs are from the point of view of Davies’ visits to the U.S. The song topics stay concisely within the album’s theme; “Peace in Our Time” is Davies’ take on a war protest song; the title track mourns the closing of a favorite restaurant; and “No One Listens” makes things personal, as it’s about Davies’ experience being mugged several years ago.


Mike Doughty - Golden Delicious - ATO
Relaxed and loosely defined, with songs that tumble through their arrangements and lyrics that range from emotional to sassy, Doughty’s latest is a great overall package. Recorded with Semisonic’s Dan Wilson on producer duty (Semisonic’s John Munson also sat in on bass), this catchy collection is bound to send more songs to television (Doughty has already had tunes on shows “Veronica Mars” and “Grey’s Anatomy”) and has already sent Doughty himself on tour to appease his fans. Opening with “Fort Hood,” a track inspired by a U.S. Army base in Iraq, the album continues through witty Doughty compositions like “I Wrote a Song About Your Car” and “I Got the Drop On You.”