Remember that great party scene from Lost in Translation where Bill Murray is walking hanging out in a Japanese apartment with a bunch of twenty-somethings? Well, part of that scene featured the song Too Young off of Phoenix’s United album. Earlier this year they released Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix which is actually pretty good. I say “actually” and “pretty good” not because I disliked United, but because they’re, well, French.
I mean, can you really name any other french bands? Yeah, me neither.
Ultimately, I think there are a few good tracks on here to download from iTunes, but I wouldn’t recommend getting the whole album. Unless someone gives it to you for free. Then I recommend you take it.
Discovery is a collaboration between Vampire Weekend and Wes Miles from Ra Ra Riot–who, by the way, puts on an excellent show! I had the chance to see them the last time they were in NOLA. They played at the Parish (which is for bands who can’t quite fill up the House of Blues, but I love it because it’s so small). During sets we got a chance to talk to Wes. Very cool guy. Canadian. Go figure. Anyway, LP is as good as you’d expect from two great bands.
I wanted to put their Orange Shirt video here because it was a real video, but it was a Transformers II commercial and that made me sad.
The Dead Weather is one of Jack White‘s projects, which is a bit different still from the White Stripes and Raconteurs, but still holds on to his signature lo-fi-inspired framework. The Kills singer, Alison Mosshart, does the bulk of the singing and keeps a raw energy present that might otherwise cause this album to drop. Good stuff, but not for the faint of heart. Er, that is, those who need some serious studio polish in return for their $13.99.
And if you like The Edge and Jimmy Page (eyhh… comme, ci comme ca), watch this. But it’s totally worth it because Jack White’s in it and he’s a beast. for real.
Harlem Shakes. Technicolor Health. From the opening track, Nothing but Change Part II, I knew I would like Harlem Shakes. With poppy melodies, quick guitars, and a driving beat, they keep it up like Vampire (and a bit of MGMT for good measure). As a word of warning, they sometimes have a thirty second buffer at the beginning of some of their songs where you might start to doubt. Beat that, and they’re gold.