Lon Gisland, Beirut

Artist: Beirut
Album: Lon Gisland, 2007
Label: Ba Da Bing!

Good music for a caravan, Beirut plays gypsy roots while lead singer, Zachery Condon, sings the sound of a subdued ringleader. The catch is the setup, a collection of instruments in arrangements that synergies to make the human instinct to dance visible. The first song on the album puts you in a different world: the "Elephant Gun" intro leading with a uke, then filled with accordion, crashing cymbals, and a well placed horn section puts you in Paris, or colonial Africa, or a Circus in the 30's, or in some universal space of time that Beirut creates. Beirut could follow in the foot steps of bands like them, Devotchka, and make a soundtrack that is synonymous with its movie. Or, they could tour a little more in America and break through here. The only problem with this album; it's too short.

The Play: Catch them in Paris with your best friend, dance in the back with someone you just met, after the show start the after party with your new friend's and best friend's arms around your neck, a cigarette to be shared, and Zach playing the accordion softly while taking with you and the band.

iTunes recommendation: It's short, get it all.

1. "Elephant Gun"
   
2. "My Family's Role in the World Revolution"
3. "Scenic World (Second Version)"
   
4. "The Long Island Sound"
   
5. "Carousels"
   

Sing the Greys, Frightened Rabbit

Artist: Frightened Rabbit
Album: Sing the Greys, 2005
Label: Fat Cat Records

Wake up, sad ain't sleepy no more. If the greys are worse then the blues they must come with some sort of alert outlook on life, or at least an up beat rhythm. Frightened Rabbit, hailing from Scotland, plays an up beat tune while singer Scott Hutchison's voice sings through either a real or manufacture pain, and a slight Scottish accent. It works. The range of the music, from urgent to playful, and the delivery of Hutchison make this album. The worst thing about them is their name: not so cool on a tee shirt. If you saw them in a local bar you'd say nice set after the show while you were buying an album.
Don't expect, grand guitar solos or wild musical expeditions. The foundation of their music is strong and they don't stray far from it, but when it's good why would you? In the way Modest Mouse's "Good News for People Who Love Bad News" album is layed out, "Sing the Greys" has three instrumental interludes, that as far as an album plays, it works well.

The Play: Get that paper you've been needing to write for your quantum English articulaiton class out of the way while you have a few ups and downs listening.

iTunes Advice: If you don't care about the album feel leave out the interludes, incidents. And if you just want to get a fell, "Snake" and "Music Now" are the ones to buy.

1. "The Greys" - 2:41
2. "Music Now" - 4:12
3. "The First Incident" - 1:48
4. "Yawns" - 3:19
5. "Be Less Rude" - 3:01
6. "The Second Incident" - 1:20
7. "Go-Go-Girls" - 3:34
8. "Behave!" - 3:28
9. "Square 9" - 5:16
10. "The Final Incident" - 0:47
11. "Snake" - 2:32

Cripple Crow, Devendra Banhart

Artist: Devendra Banhart
Album: Cripple Crow, 2005
Label: XL Recordings

Devandra's Cripple Crow fly's. His gypsy style world folk is: finger picking, strings, and a smooth quivering voice that's a joy to hear. Cripple Crow is the sixth album Devendra has realease and it's loaded, 22 songs. You really see the deeper parts of the album on "Now that I Know," "Hey Mama Wolf" "Queen Bee" and "Cripple Crow." The lighter favors are in the form of "Chinese Children:" a song about no matter where he is in the world, his children, they be Chinese and the title expalining "Long Haired Child," again about his future kid. The album has the feel o of trip at night, up and down and, and up again. A Sunday, back ground reader at times, others it a friendly sing along. Davandra plays a gem here.


The Play: Self medicate or meditate before listening: So you'll be able to absorb wisdom ranging from "Paul McCartney and Ringo Star are the only Beatles in the world." to "Keep those eyes climbing paradise and don't pretend you ain't gonna reach it in the end."

iTunes adcive: "Long Haired Child," "Now that I know," "Momma Wolf," and "Cripple Crow" are buys. The album does work as a whole, and should be bought that way but these are the top of the crop.

1. "Now That I Know" – 4:53
2. "Santa Maria De Feira" – 4:35
3. "Heard Somebody Say" – 3:20
4. "Long Haired Child" – 3:45
5. "Lazy Butterfly" – 4:00
6. "Quedate Luna" – 3:07
7. "Queen Bee" – 2:44
8. "I Feel Just Like a Child" – 4:46
9. "Some People Ride the Wave" – 2:27
10. "The Beatles" – 1:44
11. "Dragonflys" – 0:59
12. "Cripple Crow" – 5:58
13. "Inaniel" – 3:43
14. "Hey Mama Wolf" – 3:52
15. "Hows About Tellin a Story" – 1:21
16. "Chinese Children" – 5:17
17. "Sawkill River" – 1:52
18. "I Love That Man" – 2:26
19. "Luna de Margarita" – 2:07
20. "Korean Dogwood" – 4:02
21. "Little Boys" – 5:20
22. "Canela" – 4:27

Your's to Keep, Albert Hammond Jr.

Artist: Albert Hammond Jr.
Album: Your's to Keep, 2006
Label: Scratchie Records

The debut album by Albert Hammond Jr, of The Strokes, is as refreshing as an Arnold Palmer on a July afternoon in New Orleans. Put it on and drive. An upbeat mix of songs, Hammond sings with a rye rich voice tangled in neatly cued arrangements.
The album opens with a song that most artist would close with, lyrics lulling listeners to comfort:

"Goodnight, I say to you, goodnight /Dream of all the impossible
And when you wake, you'll see/That all these dreams, aren't
fake/ They're real, not impossible."

After the end of the beginning, the beat picks up and the remainder of the album ensues. One of those albums good to have on in the back ground, you can listen to on repeat without minding or even knowing. An easy to listen to album, in the best use of those words, enjoyable to the last strum. Buy it, and wait for him to tour in America.

iTunes action: Download it in whole

1. "Cartoon Music for Superheroes" 2:04
   
2. "In Transit" 3:33
3. "Everyone Gets a Star" 3:05
4. "Bright Young Thing" 3:13
5. "Blue Skies" 3:17
6. "Back to the 101" 3:27
7. "Call An Ambulance" 3:11
8. "Scared" 4:42
9. "Holiday" 3:08
10. "Hard To Live 5:23
11. "Postal Blowfish" 2:27
12. "Well... All Right" 2:20

Apologies to the Queen Mary, Wolf Parade

Artist: Wolf Parade
Album: Apologies to the Queen Mary, 2005
Label: Sub Pop

Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto, the Wolf Parade has taken over the classroom and is sure to keep you up to date on the modern world. Industrial rock at it best, Wolf Parade gives the vibe of installed art show at a sheet metal processing plant. The first album from the Canadian band, based out of Montreal, comes after three EP's and sign up with the popular label Sub Pop.
Vocalists Spencer Krug and Dan Boeckner really find themselves in wavering voices of what sounds to be two lost men that know where is at. The arrangements are layered without being repetitious, and have a full sound that can keep the ear of any listener keen to detect the layers. The album's songs are all worth a listen though "Fancy Claps" and "The Same Ghost Every Night" wouldn't make a best of album, and maybe shouldn't have made this one. This is no singer song writer, the Wolf Parade create their own sound scape. Welcome to the parade Miss Red Riding Hood, the wolfs are out.

The Play: Go to the Salvation Army buy a baseball bat and some furniture, put the album on and tear it up.

iTunes Action: Leave out "Same Ghost..." and "Fancy Claps" download the rest and start the binge drinking.

1. "You Are a Runner and I Am My Father's Son"
   
2. "Modern World"
   
3. "Grounds for Divorce"
   
4. "We Built Another World"
   
5. "Fancy Claps"
   
6. "Same Ghost Every Night"
   
7. "Shine a Light"
   
8. "Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts"
   
9. "I'll Believe in Anything"
   
10. "It's a Curse"
    
11. "Dinner Bells"
    
12. "This Heart's on Fire"