4Play

March 23, 2008

Muse - Haarp - Warner Brothers
Following two sold-out, 90,000 person shows at London’s Wembley Stadium last June and a crowd-mesmerizing set at 2007’s Lollapalooza, Muse returns with a plethora of definitive live performance recordings on this new CD/DVD set, which serves as their second live album. There’s a great range of Muse songs here, from the familiar starting notes of their frequent concert opener, “Knights of Cydonia” to their shorter but super-catchy tunes like “Citizen Erased,” all the way through craftily-extended versions of “New Born” and “Stockholm Syndrome.” The songs cover their more guitar-based tracks as well as their newer, space-synth ones - and you’ll also get some snazzy behind-the-scenes footage that showcases the offstage side of this remarkable band.


Counting Crows - Saturday Nights and Sunday Mornings - Geffen
It’s been six years since the Crows have put out an album, and while their fans were waiting, the band - or at least frontman Adam Duritz - were becoming disillusioned with the whole fame thing. Apparently those six years were more of an emotional struggle than a break, with Duritz, especially, finding out that being a pop star isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be. To Duritz and crew’s credit, though, that downturn is being followed up with this album, a catharsis of sorts that was produced in two halves. “You Can’t Count On Me” and “Insignificant” are among the most descriptive of the tracks, which are by turns apologetic, determined, and way peppier than the subject matter would suggest.


R.E.M. - Accelerate - Warner/WEA
R.E.M.’s latest set was produced by the accomplished Jacknife Lee, and showcases the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers back in fine form after four years away from the studio. Featuring all indie-rock power chords and Peter Buck’s special brand of jangly guitar riffs, it’s like the R.E.M. of yore, but with a pinch of revitalized sheen that proves these guys can still play loud and strong, but with those candied melodies that stay long after the last big guitars fade away. Recorded in large part as live takes, highlights here include the reflective “Houston,” the harmony-rich “Sing for the Submarine,” the giant-sized beautiful ballad “Hollow Man,” and the powerful pop of “I’m Gonna DJ.” - it’s not like R.E.M. ever really left, but with this one, they’ve solidified their place for sure in the here and now.


Black Keys - Attack and Release - Nonesuch
The Black Keys are quite the genre potpourri. One part British Invasion, one part ‘70s blues-rock, and two parts “hey, we’re not the White Stripes,” they do share the guitar-and-drums configuration with their Detroit compatriots, but if you look beneath the obvious surface, the two are actually pretty different. Crashing snare? Yep. Soulful vocals? Sure. But the Black Keys have added in new elements, like the eerily dense choir of backing vocals on “Psychotic Girl” and the splashy cymbals on “Remember When.” Recorded with engineer Paul Hamann and produced by Danger Mouse, this set is actually the Keys’ first collaborative album, with the extra instruments (and ears) adding some nifty flair.