New music makes us happy. Old music makes us happy, too, but no one wants to hear about old music.
Road Tunes
New music releases for the week of 06-12-2012
Web2Carz Senior Writer
Published: June 12th, 2012
S
chool’s out, or soon to be, which means lots of new releases coming down the pike. And if you’ve ever wondered, as we have, exactly what a “pike” is, it’s an old-timey word for road, and is the root of the word “turnpike.” Now you know. But enough about words, this week’s new releases feature music from bands old and new, and a controversial photo from funnyman Jimmy Fallon.
 |
The dB's / Falling Off the Sky (Bar None) They Say: Reunion album from North Carolina pop band, featuring the band’s original lineup from 1978. We Say: Is it possible for a band to reunite after a quarter century and still be good? Sure. Is it possible for them to be as good as they were the first time around, especially when the quality of their albums slowly declined over the course of their short career? No, don’t be silly. |
|
 |
Jimmy Fallon / Blow Your Pants Off (Warner Brothers) They Say: Second album of musical comedy from Late Night host/Saturday Night Live alum Jimmy Fallon, featuring guest appearances from Paul McCartney, Eddie Vedder, and other notables. We Say: We love Jimmy’s Neil Young impersonation as much as anyone, and we watched the video of him performing “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air” many times and laughed each time. And we guarantee that we’d get a few good laughs out of this album, but are we willing to pay real money for it? Not on your life. But there is a shot of Mr. Fallon’s naked bum on the cover for the ladies. And for the men who like that sort of thing. |
|
 |
Laurel Halo / Quarantine (Hyperdub) They Say: Full length album from Ann Arbor, Michigan native, who has made a name for herself releasing a series of EPs since 2006. We Say: Laura Halo is a one-woman band who makes gorgeous, complex, textured electronic music. Quarantine displays a range of influences, from Steve Reich to Kate Bush, yet Halo’s style is distinctly her own. An impressive debut. |
|
 |
Hot Chip / In Our Heads (Domino) They Say: Fifth album from London dance-popsters whose single “Over and Over” was voted single of the year in the U.K.’s NME in 2006. We Say: No one does infectious ‘80s-inspired dance music like Hot Chip. In Our Head opens with the insanely catchy “Motion Sickness” and doesn’t let up from there. |
|
 |
Metric / Synthetica (Mom & Pop Music) They Say: Canadian new wave superstars release their fifth album. We Say: Metric is kind of the Canadian version of Garbage. They’re a new-wave-inspired band with a hot female singer that churns out capable pop songs. But Metric lacks the edginess of Garbage, which, considering how terminally mainstream Garbage is, is not a good thing. Emily Haines has a fine voice and great legs, but their music, while palatable, never seems particularly inspired. |
