A More Perfect Union - Titus Andronicus

Perfection in song form. These Jersey rockers brought punk back from the dead and made me proud to say I am from Princeton. If you need more convincing check out the album review for The Monitor. That being said, I have a man crush on Patrick Stickles. These villains are named after one of the bloodier Shakespeare plays, and I wouldn't be surprised if they had done thy mother. If you want to view this sing in all of its wonderful punk, sing along glory, I suggest you...

Check it out right HERE

Rabbit Song - Boy & Bear

A very happy, very poppy song by Australian Indie outfit, Boy & Bear. Sounds like they got some Fleet Foxes in 'em too, but who am I to complain? Lots of sing along oooo-ing which for some reason gets me in the mood for Madder Red. The costume design in the actual video is what makes it though. Enjoy all the indie-folksy happiness, and as usual...

Check it out right HERE

Whip my Hair - Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young (Jimmy Fallon)

Yes, they covered it. Don't ask questions. Just watch.

Check it out right HERE

Frontier Psychiatrist - The Avalanches

So many drugs. So awesome. This is one of the coolest videos I've seen in a while, The Avalanches did an awesome job turning each of the sound bytes into characters.

Check it out right HERE

Flume - A Lion Named Roar

This is one hell of a cover, just thought I would throw it up here. They really do Justin Vernon justice, so make sure to take a look.

Check it out right HERE

Power - Kanye West

So apparently Kanye got on SNL last night and did a few songs. Mr. West absolutely kills this song while a dance troupe does their thing in the background.

Check it out right HERE

Bluish - Animal Collective

Just look at it. I mean, it's Animal Collective after all.

Check it out right HERE

Infinity Guitars - Sleigh Bells

The only thought that should be running through your head when you listen to this song is "Fuck yes". This thought should be on loop, as should this song. The only thing that could have made this song more bad ass to begin with is if it was louder, there was fire, and if there were a bunch of hot girls. Great minds think alike.

Check it out right HERE

Kontrolorgan - Light Mane

Fourth video

The Charm - Maps and Atlases

Maps joins a drum line for a performance. It's a pretty fun song, and even though the drum line doesn't get to shine as much as they could have, it still makes it worth a listen.

Check it out right HERE

We Used To Wait - Arcade Fire

There is no way that you have anything more important in your life than watching this video. SO GET ON IT ALREADY!

Check it out right HERE

Pa Pa Power - Dead Man's Bones

This is sad and wonderful and if you are looking at this, you need to go watch it. It put me in a funk.

Check it out HERE

Lovely Bloodflow- Baths

A lone, wounded samurai wanders through a wonderfully muted forest. Excellent cinematography and costume design make this clip a keeper. Plus, who doesn't love Baths?!

Check it out right HERE

Treetops - Hope Always

Third video

Black Moth Super Rainbow - Twin of Myself

Second video

Black Moth Super Rainbow - Happy Melted City

First video I've done with hopefully many more to come.

Night Drive Pt II - A playlist

For all of those late, lonely, night drives. Hopefully I'm not the only one who finds himself on an empty highway at 2 am. Give yourself some contemplation time with this playlist:

Rosyln- Bon Iver and St. Vincent
Lump Sum- Bon Iver
Your Hand in Mine- Explosions in The Sky
Canvas- Holly Miranda
Heavy Water/ I'd Rather Be Sleeping- Grouper
Sodom South Georgia- Iron & Wine
Red Right Ankle- The Decemberists
Casimir Pulaski Day- Sufjan Stevens
Southern State- Bright Eyes
Hallelujah (Acoustic)- Jeff Buckley
Gust of...- The Album Leaf
I Want the Wind to Blow- Microphones
Hands Away- Interpol
Night Time- The XX
Wake- The Antlers
Fake Empire- The National

HEALTH - A Live Film (Paris, 2009)

HEALTH. A Live Film in Paris is an edited version of the bands 40 minute set. You experience the entire spectrum of HEALTH's sound and then some. This short film is really a show of great editing and filming and the energy and abrassive sound HEALTH brings to the table.

"Watch in the dark, listen carefully with headphones"

Check it out HERE

Stress - Justice

This video is seriously fucked. The song is incredibly intense and you can't listen to it without having a feeling of dread. So the director of this music video decided to take that feeling and apply it to gang violence. A group of teenagers decked out in very cool Justice jackets turn the city upside down, destroying anything unfortunate enough to cross their path. The video is extremely well shot, so well shot in fact, that there was originally confusion over whether or not this was real. If you think you can take it:

Check it out right HERE

The "Back to School" Playlist

Summer is over. The hazed adventures that will be reminisced over for another month or two have come to an end; however not a total one. Each summer has a theme. A theme that isn't always totally apparent but close to the heart; something that reminds us of the fun we once had... something that makes us look forward to warm summers and cold lives. So; here is my rendition of the perfect summer playlist. I bring to you! an entire, pre-recorded album! I will admit I'm absolutely obsessed with this album and artist in every way, but it's a little hard not to when it literally becomes the soundtrack to every...adventure throughout my summer. Now, it doesn't hurt that the album is entirely about summer, being happy, natural beauty, psychedelics and much much more. A seemingly simple album is more cohesive in presentation, appeal and pure spirit than any other I've heard. Making it a total masterpiece in my book. This... is Dandelion Gum by Black Moth Super Rainbow.

1. Forever Heavy

2. Jump Into My Mouth and Breathe in the Stardust

3. Melt Me

4. Lollipopsichord

5. They Live in the Meadow

6. Sun Lips

7. Rollerdisco

8. Neon Syrup for the Cemetery Sisters

9. The Afternoon Turns Pink

10. When the Sun Grows on Your Tongue

11. Spinning Cotton Candy in a Shack Made of Shingles

12. Drippy Eye

13. Lost, Picking Flowers in the Woods

14. Caterpillar House

15. Wall of Gum

16. Untitled Roadside Demo

17. (untitled)

Can't Tell Me Nothing - Kanye West

Zach Galafanakis lip-sincs a Kanye song... It really doesn't get better than this. In between shots of tractors bumping to the beat, and Zach pelvic thrusting anything within 5 feet, a troop of tap dancing 12 year-olds breaks it down. This is one you can't pass up.

Check it out right HERE

The "Back to School" Playlist

Yes, yes, the summer is ending, we know, it's a terrible thing, but at least the heat is going down. Here is a playlist for your car to get you through those awful gloomy mornings when you remember what is coming for you in the next weeks.

Cheer up, you've got an entire hour of musical goodness:

1. Fake Palindromes- Andrew Bird
2. Is There a Ghost- Band of Horses
3. Lisztomania- Phoenix
4. Patient Patient- The Morning Benders
5. After Hours- We Are Scientists
6. Sun Hands- Local Natives
7. This is Music- The Verve
8. Skyway- The Apples in Stereo
9. Like Eating Glass- Bloc Party
10. Drunk Girls- LCD Soundsystem
11. Floating Vibes- Surfer Blood
12. Water Curses- Animal Collective
13. Madder Red- Yeasayer
14. People Say- Portugal. The Man
15. Prickly Thorn, but Sweetly Worn- The White Stripes
16. Ize of the World- The Strokes
17. Tesselate- Tokyo Police Club
18. Ring Ring- Sleigh Bells

The Suburbs - Arcade Fire

First impressions. Not as orchestral as Neon Bible, nor so sad as Funeral. While the sound may not be as huge as it was on the last album, it still manages to get up there at some points. Much less going on in this record, but the by toning it down, Arcade Fire gives ever instrument a chance to shine. Overall, pretty good, although I do think I like the other two LPs more. It's a new style for Arcade Fire, but the change is nice because it gives each record its own distinct feel. Unlike Funeral, which dealt with death, and Neon Bible, which discussed religion, The Suburbs discusses, well, the suburbs. Frustration with the daily repetition of menial tasks and the desire to escape from mediocrity at home and in the workplace are some of the main topics. "They heard me singing, and they told me to stop, quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock," howls Régine Chassagne. Obviously, Arcade Fire is tackling some big issues on this one, but they do it in a way that doesn't sound overly heavy handed. Anyways, here comes the track list:

The Suburbs- A fairly overt reference to the album's title. Win Butler creates the album's tone in this one. "Grab your mother's keys, we're leaving", he states. It sets the stage for the mini-drama that develops during the rest of The Suburbs. This is a fairly Arcade Fire-esque song. Interwoven layers of instruments play off of each other nicely without ever fighting for top spot. The main difference is that we now have a piano instead of the usual bellowing organ. One of my favorites on the album.

Ready To Start- Here's that push that you were waiting for. Win is pretty to the point on this one. 3/4 of the way through Butler takes center stage and creates a nice buildup with a sudden drop that sounds very similar to the end of (Antichrist Television Blues). The pattern of disillusionment continues in this one. "Business men are drinking my blood," says Win. If this isn't a pretty glaring message, I don't know what is.

Modern Man- Arcade Fire manages to keep this song toned down as well, and while you may be patiently awaiting that drop, it never hits like you really want it to. Butler discusses what it means to be a "Modern Man" in the suburbs, discussing the day to day toils of living in monotony. One can only hope he achieves the escape that was planned in the first track.

Rococo- I can't say enough good things about this track. Ironically, Arcade Fire is singing about their main fan-base(Hipsters), and they aren't saying anything nice. But I'll be damned if they aren't spot on with their criticisms. I'm guilty of a few of them myself. This song also provides that long awaited kick that we have come to expect from Arcade Fire. By far my favorite track on the record.

Empty Room- I am inexplicably reminded of Jonsi during the first seconds of this song. Its probably got something to do with that playful violin. This song gives Régine a chance to shine. She discusses the necessity of hiding her true self when others are around. Layers of guitar, piano, and crashing symbols fade almost too early as the song comes to a quick ending.

City With No Children- Win struggles with his own stardom. He pines for a simpler time, back when he wasn't separated from everyone else by his fame and wealth. It has become his "private prison" in his own words.

Half Light I- Once again Régine laments how people are hide themselves from others. Metaphorically speaking, people don't let others look into them, and instead bottle everything inside. Her voice is the driving force on this one, with a soft drum beat in the background.

Half Light II (No Celebration)- Harsh guitar chords work well with the sweeping violin in the background. It adds an almost dancy beat in the background as the song picks up. This song serves as an explanation as to how they ended up in the suburbs to begin with. Their dreams crushed by money, they are forced to pack up their belongings and leave the city.

Month of May- I don't know where the hell this song comes from. It kicks off with a cagey punk rock opener that is highly reminiscent of the beginning of a Ramones song. Totally breaking the toned down feeling of the rest of the album. The weight of life is a prominent theme in this one.

Wasted Hours- And here we are, back to simple guitar chords and a light drum beat. Probably my least favorite track on the album. This one is about...wasted hours more or less. Looking back at life, Win realizes how much he missed.

Deep Blue- Crashing symbols and the piano take the center stage while, unexpectedly, a synth makes its a debut. Butler comes up with an answer on how to escape the chains that hold him. "Put the cellphone down for a while, In the night there is something wild, Can you hear it breathing?" There is life beyond the suburbs. You just have to find it.

We Used to Wait- The piano once again is the main instrument on this one. Butler decides to make a change, he is going to break free of the suburbs, acting on the plans made in track 1. We get that orchestral feeling back on this one with Chassagne providing back up vocals. An upbeat tempo brings the song to a close.

Sprawl I (Flatlands)- This one starts with the sound of a train passing over its tracks. The solitary thump, thump, thump of box car after boxcar passing through an empty expanse help to create the isolated tone of this track. Arcade Fire brings up the motif of night again. Now that the "Half Light" has passed, they are deep into the early hours of the morning, and seem to be regressing to an almost child-like state.

Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)- Chassagne takes center stage on this one again. The punch the clock lyric serves as the opener. She discusses the true nature of the sprawl, realizing that they will never escape. The upbeat tempo and synth betray the feeling of inevitable loss that is relayed by the vocals.

Suburban War- A nice guitar riff opens the track up for the drums and other instruments. This is a pretty good track, and definitely one of my favorites. It really picks up when the drums kick in about 3/4 of the way through and Win really lets it go. The inevitable return to the suburbs has happened. Daylight has come and they realize that they cant escape. A crashing crescendo helps provide the feeling of something ending.

The Suburbs (Continued)- A very mournful track. Slow violins take the stage on this one. Butler and Chassagne trade off lyrics and it sounds very much like a conversation. A rather depressing finish to the album.

Meet Me In The Basement - Broken Social Scene

This is one hell of a video. Powerful images of child soldiers and oil covered beaches serve as commentary on the state of world affairs, modern politics, war, and the rise of conglomerates. Broken Social Scene lend their sound to this fan-made clip.

Check it out right HERE

Echoes- Klaxons

The music video really isn't anything special. Kinda reminds me of the first Star Wars movie... I wouldn't have been surprised if Luke Skywalker made a cameo. Pretty much a bunch of guys (Klaxons) running around in a desert and occasionally actually playing their instruments. Towards the end they just start lighting shit on fire... kinda bleak really. Catchy song though, so it makes it worth the listen.

Check it out right HERE

Drunk Girls - LCD Soundsystem

This video is bit old, but I'll be damned if it doesn't make me smile every time I see it. What starts as a seemingly normal session in the studio devolves into a crazy party led by crazy, panda bear/dog people, resulting in the band being kidnapped, dressed as women, spray painted, beaten, covered in champagne, and duck taped among other things. Plus Drunk Girls rocks, so that should be all the convincing you need.

Check it out right HERE

Maniac Meat - Tobacco

So Tobacco. The man behind Black Moth Super Rainbow and the Macho man behind anything and everything Tobacco. This is the third installment; Maniac Meat. Substance abuse is more than apparent throughout this entire album, as everything ranges from psychedelic to hip hop, to even more psychedelic and more hip hop. This album has dug itself deep into my heart and has found a cozy spot to stay there. Lets begin the track by track breakdown of the album.

1. Constellation Dirtbike Head- Okay... The first song ever with Tobacco using live drums (or at least samples of them) with a new vocoder effect...makes for one of the best introductions to an album I've ever heard. This is a clear sign of what the rest of the album is going to be like. A more intense, heavily layered album just pretty much grabs the listener and shakes them fairly violently. At about 1:50, we hear a noisier Tobacco we've never heard before, letting the instruments lead the vocals, not the other way around as before.

2. Fresh Hex- A fun track featuring who? Beck! Beck's back with the random train of thought and it sounds nicer than ever. The track is so Tobacco but it's nice to hear some strangely fitting vocals. Theres a bit more to that track than meets...the ears? Pay close attention. Colosseum.

3. Mexican Icecream- A much popier sound to the track. Popier as in literally, there are pop like sounds throughout the track. This is the first track that also really shows off the Micro Korg's many vocoder effects. The deep, raw voice mixed with delay and echo makes it very...trippy; the least trippy track but a clear sign of what's sure to come. Very noisy, very nice.

4. Lick The Which- A deep, slow introduction. And then an intense god-knows-what effect. A fluttering sound with Korg in the back and a lot of live bass done by the T- man himself. This track features lyrics about taking LSD and it is more than a bit obvious. The title itself is Lick The Which! The sweeping organ effect makes way for a very Black Moth like outro.

5. Sweatmother- Probably the raunchiest track on the album. The song features a drum line that seems to come straight out of a hot east LA day, rolling around with aggression. The layered vocal effects and broken guitar are just too dirty; a new face of an intense Tobacco. Then all hell breaks loose with the noisiest segment on the entire album, then drops; just like that.

6. Motorlicker- Oh god the bass...I love this song to no end. This track almost seems to be pulled out of an acid trip ;) Deep bass, rumbling Korg roars, fitted nicely with an elegant piano. The lyrics are perfectly airy. This track is sure to make you headbob quite a bit.

7. Unholy Demon Rhythms- Almost exactly what the title is. This track doesn't seem too special at first but a close listen reveals the beat is all samples of a mouth. And the rising and falling noises are strange in that they seem to give themselves a bit of lag before fully erupting. Followed by a melody of high pitched "diiiiing" noises, the track finishes.

8. Heavy Makeup- This track has so many surprises, it's not even funny. Tobacco really hauled himself on this track. This track sounds closer to the Constellation Dirtbike Head. at about 0:55, we hear all the vocoder effects he's been playing with and dear lord do they sound sexy. " You feel free when you're killin' me" fits almost too well. The sampled drums also help to give the track almost a too heavily layered track. Almost as if the track is wearing a lot of...heavy makeup?! At 2:40, we dip down into a groovier segment and then BAM! The intensely slowed down track. but wait, it's different. This segment is slightly different than the rest of the track and the roaring, deep vocals are almost terrifying. It sounds as if a measly human is looking up at some devilish figure in the sky ;). Definitely one of the best tracks on the album.

9. Grape Aerosmith- Along with a funny name, more Beck! This track sounds more unified and more something we would expect on a Tobacco album. A strange rhythm follows heavily layered vocals that sound as if they are being wildly altered live.

10. New Juices From The Hot Tub Freaks- An almost scary introduction gives way for a fun, loud hip hop track. This is different from the rest of the tracks but is a mile stone track. In that, it clearly shows the transition from the roaring hip hop and loud into the second half of the album which is more LSD induced sounding, bassier, and a more passionate Tobacco.

11. Six Royal Vipers- A simple scale with piano creates a nice, yet dark setting. The vocals are probably the best part, because of; just... the sheer sense of emotion in them. The vocals laid over a desperate sounding effect is beautiful. And again at about 1:18, the listener is surprised. The rest of the track sounds strangely emotional and sincere. Excuse me, but it's a fuckin good track. And clearly well done.

12. Overheater- Again, exactly like the title. The type of feeling you would expect when you feed something too much power; roaring down the road, engine being exhausted. Helped with the intense up and down roars that almost dissipate when the vocals kick in. At about 1:28, the noises completely drop and are just a perfect end to the track.

13. Creepy Phone Calls- Hmmm, this sounds familiar. Oh wait, it's almost the exact same track as the HEALTH/ Tobacco Remix track of Die Slow! Anyway, the booming bass that shakes things off shelves sounds great fuzzed out and along side raw bass guitar and broken noises for the chorus. This is a very fun track to listen to and tries to keep only that face. There are no special meanings or anything, just fun. However! at about 2:40, we do get to hear some raw bass guitar done by the T- Man. Not a joke, but a very laid back approach to professional recording as we can even hear a knock on the mic. Very amateur; very good.

14. TV All Greasy- The deepest bass drop by far on the album accompanied by the highest, most mono sounding drumming just makes the listener feel like a bad ass. The type of track strutting down an open walkway, showing off a bit. This is also one of the dirtier songs, along with Sweatmother. At 1:50, the progressive drop in effects takes place to make way for the oh-so-noisy last third of the track. Rising and falling Korg along with horribly blown bass is just too perfect. And once again, it becomes familiar Tobacco ending in a simplified rhythm similar to one like before.

15. Stretch Your Face- Almost measly bass is actually nice in this track. Echoed vocoder leading up to the "Oh" almost makes it as if the entire world just disappeared and you are falling through a tunnel of color, only to be brought back up and do it again ;). Very simple but the influences of drugs such as LSD are more than obvious but fit so perfectly into the album. This is also one of the last two tracks on the album, and seems to be a summary of the album, but more heavily echoed and intense.

16. Nuclear Waste Aerobics- Perfect title! This track is dirty in the sense that there is purely so much going on. Very raunchy and a bit of a surprise when expecting an end to a Tobacco album. Very fun to listen to.

The Parachute Ending - Birdy Nam Nam

As pretty much my entirely first post to the blog (read previous post) I am proud to present you with a video of fairly epic proportions. Birdy Nam Nam consists of a gang of DJ's who happen to love to also create strange, yet fitting videos to accompany their music. The Parachute Ending video is so strange, but fun to watch and it follows the track through and through. Pick up the album as well, Manual for Successful Rioting; a nice collection of upbeat. fun to listen to electronic music. Just make sure to step far away from any vehicles as it's guaranteed you'll be speeding in

no time.

Check it out right HERE

We're baaaaack

After a very long (and not very restful) hiatus, I am happy to announce that I will be continuing with Static Splashes. I am also happy to announce that we have a new contributor! Ali Khajeh will be joining the Static Splashes crew bringing us to...two memebers... His first contribution consists of reviews of tracks 3, 4, 7, and 8 on the Jónsi album. I hope you all have a great summer and keep up with the blog - Gabe

Go- Jónsi

Jónsi has gone out of his way to be strange as hell on this cd and it works for him quite well. His ridiculously high pitched Falsetto allows him to hit quite a range of notes and the strong beats (many of which feature a flute in the lead) really help keep the tracks hum along.

1. Go Do- This is easily the best song on the CD. The powerful beat gives the song a strong start (especially when the bass kicks in), but when Jónsi himself kicks in, he steals the show. His voice accompanied by the flutes provides an excellent sense of buildup, reaching an eventual crescendo before Jónsi brings the song to its close.

2. Animal Arithmetic- This song starts out with a much more fast passed tempo than Go Do does. Jónsi definitely takes the center stage, though the percussion serves to create a fairly strong background. Jónsi, ditches the drawn out falsetto for a faster tempo which actually helps make the lyrics a bit more coherent. The song hits its climax at around 3:04 before tapering off.

3. Tornado- Tornado is the first track of the album where we begin to dip down into a more emotional driven song, instead of the upbeat blissful introduction tracks. A low rumble of bass and crescendo snare comes together in a track meant to be the calmer, more melancholy face of this album. Dronier vocals towards 3:05 and rise in energy creates one last surge of music before totally drifting off into Jon’s last few lyrics.

4. Boy lilikoi is quite possibly one of my favorite songs on the album, because of the fact that it sounds as if a young child is explaining his perception of life; a calm and innocent song. A strange series of bells, whistles, crashes, booms and “tincks” all over the track do nothing but create an epic forground for Jon’s playful lyrics. This is the climax track in between Tornado and the second third of the album; However, this track (along with almost all others) follow a distinct yet very undertone structure.

5. Sinking Friendships- The layered voices that start the song sound almost like something that would come off of Bromst The piano eventually takes over for the layering and creates a strong backdrop for Jónsi's voice. However, he works fairly well with the piano instead of trying to be the star. The combination of flutes, piano, and who knows what else create the airy feeling which Jónsi has been trying to perpetuate all along. Coming full circle, the layered voices come back in, slipping out one after another until the song falls in upon itself.

6. Kolnidur- A strong background is provided by a piano and what seem to be at least part of an orchestra. Although Jónsi slows his tempo down, he manages to bring his pitch down too. This song has a much more winding feelings to it, creating a sense that at the end, the listener will have reached the end of a very long journey. Jónsi lets the orchestra take the lead here, especially after 2:00, when he starts back up with the airy falsetto.

7. Around Us- Around us is another striving song on the album with a very nice drum background. Perfect layering of instrumentation, layering vocals that fade away into each other, only to be washed away by a clean series of vocals. At about 1:40, Jon whips out the low vocals that create such a contrast, you can’t help but be sucked in when the higher vocals kick back in. Another perfect example of this is towards the end; the beautiful single violin and orchestra gently fading into distant vocals accompanied with lots of tremolo. Beautiful song.

8. Grow Till Tall- Grow till tall could possibly be the last track on the album and make me even happier. The previous works of Sigur Ros are more than apparent in this track. The low vocals accompanied by almost nothing, vibrato, and constant altercations of his angelic voice combine to create a sound we wouldn’t mind seeing more often. And only more and more familiar with Sigur Ros. The constant rise in his vocals gives way to the orchestra in the background, but nothing is ever too empowering; the voice is clear, sharp, yet beautiful; the orchestral instrumentation is done perfectly so that it all drones out into Jon’s vocals. The listener is taken on a journey, only to come to terms with a strangely perfect end, a fuzzed out, horribly altered 30 seconds that leaves the listener wanting more.

9. Hengilбs- This track first begins to sound all too familiar, but the rawer vocals and contrast in, well…language leaves in the listener in a semi dazed state. This is a track to reminis over the rest of the album but a beautiful ending within itself. A strong introduction with gentle rolls in energy. The sort of track you would listen to on the way back home, late afternoon after a tiring day. The fact that this track is clearly also a field recording makes listeners happy im sure. And as the track ends, we are quickly dropped off into the last swipes on the cello.

Go Do- Jónsi

This video is absolutely insane. Lots and lots and lots and lots of birds flying around, not to mention Jónsi. Really excellent song though. When the drumbeat is in sync with him beating the box, it is just incredible. Take a look, it will make your day better. I promise.

Check it out right HERE

Flash Delirium- MGMT

This is the most ridiculous music video I think I have ever seen. Its complete lack of logic is what makes it amazing though. Plus, you can't not love MGMT. As an added bonus you can stream the rest of the album from the same webpage.

Check it out right HERE

Sing Sang Sung- Air

A very laid back and melodic song led by very soft drum beats and an acoustic guitar. The star is the video itself. The whole thing consists of the epic journey of a simple black ball that travels through a series bizarre backgrounds and tessellations.

Check it out right HERE

Khoda- Reza Dolatabadi

This is a seriously intense piece of work. It is made from over 6,000 paintings, each of which serves as a separate frame. The ambient synth-heavy music in the background combined with the intense visuals leaves you physically exhausted. Definitely worth taking a look at.

Check it out right HERE

Lucky- All India Radio

This is just a really fun video. The music in the background is very relaxed and lets the animation be the star. Coincidentally, said animation is done entirely with glow sticks. Awesome.

Check it out right HERE

The Monitor- Titus Andronicus

A revival of all that is beautiful about punk rock. If Bright Eyes exists to allow Connor Oberst to lay out his strongest emotions in every track, then Titus exists for the pure joy of rocking out. Speaking of Connor Oberst, Titus front-man, Patrick Stickles, sounds like a much angrier version of the acclaimed vocalist. Many of the tracks on this CD lean towards rousing choruses while violins and sweeping guitar riffs dance in the background. The lyrics take on a much darker side if you actually take a moment to listen. The more apocalyptic sound of the words are mirrored by the earlier excerpts from some of Lincoln's most famous speeches. The album itself is named after the first US ironclad, and the CD focuses on a very loose civil war theme, thus the Lincoln allusions.

Track List:

1. A More Perfect Union: Possibly my favorite track on the album. It starts off with a very morose speech by Lincoln followed by a strong drumbeat while the guitar builds up in the background. Stickles dives right into his lyrics, describing the loneliness that he sees in the world around him. This is the start of a series of round-robins between singing and free floating guitar solos which give more life to the song. Eventually, all of this feeds into a rousing chorus by Stickles and the drummer, Eric Harms, that sounds almost Arcade Fire-like. Despite the gloominess of the lyrics, you can't help but smile because of the rousing sound of the Stickles, Harms, and three separate guitars wailing in unison. A guitar solo plays the song out and another Lincoln speech fills out the final 30 seconds.

2. Titus Andronicus Forever- Possibly the happiest song on the whole album. "The Enemy is everywhere" states Stickles. He never quite describes who this "enemy" is but that's ok. Despite its lack of substance lyric-wise, the band has fun rocking out for 2 minutes of bliss. Once again, part of a Lincoln speech leads the song towards its close.

3. No Future Part Three: Escape From No Future- This track starts on a slow, mournful note but picks up with a guttural war cry from Stickles. A strong guitar riff backs up the vocals and it leads the song out of the slow melancholy feeling of the first 30 seconds of the song. Stickles really digs deep into himself on this track. He spends the whole time describing the part of him that he lost, this just so happens to be the one thing that makes him unique. His final conclusion is that he will "always be a loser." Dammit, if losers can play like this, then maybe there is some hope for the future of punk rock.

4. Richard II- This track is closer to a revolutionary yelling his protest against a despotic regime than anything else. A slow tidal wave led by the guitar entente leads this song to its energetic take-off at 1:08. "To whatever extent you hate yourself, it isn't enough" screams Stickles. Someone must have pissed the guy off, because he is not letting go of whatever was done to him. What he can't say for himself, he lets the guitars scream out allowing for Richard II to come to a rousing close with a long fadeout.

5. A Pot In Which To Piss- Fittingly this track starts with a quote from Jefferson Davis instead of Lincoln. Likewise, this spells the end of the high intensity of the first 4 tracks. Stickles slows his lyrics down, instead of trying to cram in the last word, he takes a nod from Bon Iver and lets his voice follow the drum beat through each line before trailing off. About 1/3 of the way through, the song picks up and so do the lyrics. Stickles throws out any possibility of surrender saying that, "There's a white flag in my pocket, never to be unfurled." While all this goes on, the piano kicks in, and soon the it joins the guitar in leading the song to its close.

6. Four Score And Seven- By far the most depressing song on the album. The lyrics reflect Stickles loss of hope for humanity and he sings about his loneliness while a Dylan-esque harmonica tune fills the gaps. The now familiar formula of a slow beginning followed by an abrupt pickup jumps in. Instead of a piano, trumpets and tambourines take the lead on this one.

7. Theme From 'Cheers'- The violin takes the lead while a very drunken sounding Stickles belts out his various reasons for getting into his current state. He has decided to drink away all of his problems and live his life without ever having to deal with whats in front of him. The guitar kicks in and the violin follow the lyrics as they weave their way to the climax. The guitar takes over the song and plays an energetic riff which ends the track.

8. To Old Friends And New- The slowest song on the album, and surprisingly one of the strongest. The piano starts off leading the song until Stickles and violinist, Cassie Ramone, start a lyrical back and forth resulting in a duet. The background and drums start in, but stay muted in the background letting the two singers take the spotlight. Eventually the whole band puts down their instruments and join in a finale that evokes Stickles vision of a better future, but only if people actually learn to accept each other.

9. ... And Ever- By far the liveliest song on the album. The CD comes back full circle repeating the words of track 2. This time, the piano and saxophone play a game of pass the baton resulting in an entire sax solo. The final speech by Lincoln is fairly ironic considering the words to the song. "We are not enemies, but friends," the reader states.

10. The Battle of Hampton Roads- This winding epic hits every single high point of all of the songs on the record and towards the end it has a ridiculous bagpipe solo. What more is there to say?

Stylo- Gorillaz

Figured that it would only be fitting to put this up now that the Plastic Beach review is done. The animation on the characters is great (especially Murdoc). Did I mention that Bruce Willis is in it? 'Cause he is. On a sidenote: there is a reference to Superfast Jellyfish at 1:40.
Check it out right HERE

Bless- Kira Kira

Wow. This is one trippy video. Eyelids pop off like suction cups from a window, and the main character changes into a two dimensional version of himself while flying horses with 8 tongues float through space. The artwork looks like something that would show up on [Adult Swim] at 2 AM. The song itself is strange, but the weirdness really kicks in during the video.
Check it out HERE

Plastic Beach- Gorillaz

Not what you were expecting.

This CD kicks off with an orchestral intro that sets a precedent for the somber mood of the rest of the CD. Snoop Dogg's contribution to the album is mediocre at best, thankfully Mos Def sets the record straight with Sweepstakes. If you were expecting Demon Days part II, this isn't it. Gorillaz have shifted their focus from rap to a much moodier, more melancholy sound,which is interrupted by occasional energetic tracks such as Rhinestone Eyes. It's not a big surprise that the shift is so drastic considering that the CD was originally meant to merely be presented by Gorillaz. The other half to this, is that most of the tracks sound like Gorillaz stepped back and watched while the guest-stars (Mark Smith, Little Dragon Etc.) took the spotlight.

Tracks:
1. Orchestral Intro (feat. sinfonia ViVA)- This track starts with the sound of waves and the calls of seagulls. This is onlt the beginning of the beach references that are made throughout the rest of the CD. The intro does not have much substance but sets up an excellent build up for Snoop Dogg's track.

2. Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach (feat. Snoop Dogg & Hypnotic Brass Ensemble)- The most disappointing song on the album. Snoop feels aloof from the beat (except for a short stint from 2:04-2:20). The most obvious problem is the lack of variety in this song. It feels monotonous from beginning to end. Thankfully this disappointing start is not reflected by the rest of the CD.

3. White Flag (feat. Bashy, Kano & The National Orchestra for Arabic Music)- An excellent introduction by The National Orchestra provides a perfect intro for Bashy and Kano. The flutes and drums give way to a strong beat that both of the rappers use to play a lyrical game of tag. The playful back and forth that these two rappers create mirrors the intro, and in fact The Orchestra makes its triumphant return at 2:44 and play the song out in a fitting manner.

4. Rhinestone Eyes- This song is easily my favorite song on all of Plastic Beach and it is 100% Gorillaz. Damon Albarn finally takes center stage and he certainly makes an effort to make this sound like what his fans were expecting. What really makes this song is the drop at 0:52. At this point the song picks up in strength and Albarn seems much more confident. Just a great track overall.

5. Stylo (feat. Mos Def & Bobby Womack)- Mos Def and Bobby Womack make their debut and it certainly makes up for the mediocre performance by Snoop Dogg. While it is not the strongest track on Plastic Beach, it still is very solid. Womack's voice is what completes the track. This is one intense dude and he really puts everything hes got out there.

6. Superfast Jellyfish (feat. Gruff Rhys & De La Soul)- The ridiculously silly intro eventually gives way to a solid rap track. Rhys and De La Soul stick to the beat much better than Snoop or Mos Def and it pays off. The rap portions are separated by an intensely happy chorus making this one of the catchiest tunes on the album.

7. Empire Ants (feat. Little Dragon)- This track opens up in a very relaxed manner. The singing takes a backseat to the beat which winds its way up to a climax about halfway through the song. At this point the vocals come back into the spotlight and the song plays through to completion led by Little Dragon.

8. Glitter Freeze (feat. Mark E Smith)- Glitter Freeze starts with a fairly deep synth and some strong bass behind it. When the second synth breaks in the song gets much more energetic. Thankfully at about the time that the constant blaring produced by said synth gets unbearable the song tapers off.

9. Some Kind of Nature (feat. Lou Reed)- Lou Reed makes a very strong showing here. By far the best collaborator on the album, Reed brings it back to feeling more like something off of Demon Days. Returned is the airiness of songs like 19-2000, and Albarn's backup vocals don't hurt either.

10. On Melancholy Hill- Once again, the song that is solely Gorillaz shines. By far one of the strongest tracks on Plastic Beach. The laid back feel of the song combined with Albarn's voice helps to create a serene calm. Perfect for relaxing after a long day.

11. Broken- Gorrilaz seems to be in a bit of a funk. The energy that was present in Rhinestone Eyes has been replaced by the relaxed feel that started way back on Empire Ants. Not a bad track though, and see if you can catch the reference to another song on the track during the first half of the song.

12. Sweepstakes (feat. Mos Def & Hypnotic Brass Ensemble)- Mos Def really comes in strong on this track. A solid performance by both featured artists give this song a solid base to go off of. It's poppy sound moves it away from the proceeding few tracks and although the song begins to lose its feel towards the end, Hypnotics Brass Ensemble brings it back.

13. Plastic Beach (feat. Mick Jones & Paul Simonon)- The song begins with a sense of serious finality that would be more appropriate for a standoff in some crappy western. The keyboard soon cuts in and provides a solid background for the vocals that take center stage.

14. Cloud of Unknowing (feat. Bobby Womack & sinfonia ViVA)- Womack does it again. His haunting voice is given some help by the lonely, reverberating synth (courtesy of sinfonia ViVA) that warbles its way through the background. Very solid song.

15. Pirate Jet- Gorillaz plays their final solo track. Not a whole lot of substance here, but that does not detract from it too much. A little more variety would have been nice, but the relative shortness of the song keeps it from getting boring.

16. Pirate's progress- Not much to say here, it's a pretty enough sounding track, but it really isn't in keeping with the rest of the album. The song's real effect is to bring the album full loop, ending it just as it began.

17. Three Hearts, Seven Seas, Twelve Moons- More or less the second half of Pirate's Progress. A little baton passing between the trumpets and the flutes ends the album on a playful note, but once again, this really does not sound like something that would be expected on a Gorillaz CD and I'm a little disappointed that they didn't provide a stronger close.

Two- The Antlers

Just some guys jammin' out in an apartment. All sorts of bubbles spew forth from their instruments, and eventually they float away too. Awesome. Really gives some feeling to the airiness of the song itself... so long as you aren't listening to the vocals.
Check it out right HERE

Bright Orange Air- Twosyllable

This wonderfully trippy video follows the journey of a lone boats-man on a river. The visual of the forest turning into a city of orange light is perfect for the slow melody and the singer's haunting voice.
Check it out right HERE

American Ghetto - Portugal. The Man

A little more structured than past CDs and unlike Censored Colors, there is distinct separation between each song. The separation could also be attributed to the constant genre swapping that seems to be going on. Power chords and synth give way to a passion pit-esque 70s style throwback, and by the end of the American Ghetto, you will be left wondering where this band could possibly be heading next.

Tracks:
1. The Dead Dog- An airy rhythm winds its way through the background while John Gourley takes center stage as both the guitarist and vocalist. No real strong feeling either way towards this song.

2. Break- Easily the weakest track on the entire CD. I'm not really sure what Portugal was trying to accomplish here. The piano that begins at 0:31 has a decent enough tune but it never amounts to anything solid. Break ends up acting as an opening for track three, which begs asking why they didn't just combine the two.

3. 60 Years- So far my favorite track. A slow pickup coming off track 2 gives way to a solid song that focuses on a winding synth and fairly catchy guitar riff during the chorus.

4. All My People- Starts with a very strong beat accentuated by the twang of a guitar. Gourley soon steps in and the chorus begins. Once again, a solid performance as the vocalist and guitarist makes this track a definite keeper.

5. 1000 Years- Power chords pervade this loose track. The sound of Gourley's voice hearkens back to Portugal's older tracks such as MK80 The Wolf. The weak beat is the only thing that keeps this track down.

6. Fantastic Pace- Censored Colors makes its triumphant return. A Loose piano based rhythm leads to a Hendrix-esque guitar riff that sadly lasts only a few seconds. By far the most depressing song on the album. Gourley tells a tale of isolation that is betrayed by the more neutral feeling of the song itself.

7. The Pushers Party- The opening is reminiscent of the spaghetti-western style of most Fleet Foxes songs, yet this soon changes into its own entity, constantly morphing and twisting. A mix of strong guitar riffs and drum beats help to boost Gourley's voice into the spotlight and create a very strong track.

8. Do What We Do- Gourley sings a song of rebellion but does so in the calmest manner possible. A strong (if not repetitive) chorus cuts in every few seconds, giving the track a very solid foundation. Once again the focus shifts towards the singing and away from the other instruments, although the synth adds a nice backdrop.

9. Just A Fool- The slowest song on the album. The synth really creates a nice structure for this track. Notes wind in and out providing something for Gourley to chase. It sound's like an empty MGMT song. That isn't saying that there is anything wrong with it, there just isn't much going on.

10. Some Men- The opening consists of a mournful wail that sounds very much like Ecstasy by JJ. The emphasis soon moves to the guitar and Gourley's singing. The synth helps guide this track to its eventual close.

11. When The War Ends- A strong guitar riff serves as intro, and soon a 70s-era keyboard cuts in. A faded background drumbeat shifts the focus away from the keyboard and the chorus begins. It sounds as if Portugal has been listening to some Passion Pit, and despite the aged sound of this song, it definitely comes off well.