KMNR Pacman Couch

By DJ's Maggie and Knuckles

(KMNR)

Older MUSIC REVIEW - The Submarines

The Submarines – Honeysuckle Weeks

We got this album at the station last year, but the band has come highly suggested to me for a couple years now. I’ve played a few tracks off the album on my show (1-Submarine Symphonika; 3-You Me and the Bourgeoisie, which was made famous through an iPhone commercial; and 5-The Wake Up Song), but neglected an in depth review until now. Having listened to the album more carefully, I feel horrible for putting it off for so long – I’ve denied myself much happiness by doing so.

This album is a pop tour-de-force. Every song is lovingly and intricately developed, with the lyrics having the same prose-like beauty that you would find in bands like The New Pornographers or Destroyer. Both the vocalists sing in a way that covers the full range between a wispy, sorrowful sigh and a bright call. While the vox volume is loud enough to be clearly understood, the real hero of the album is the instrumentation. The music has jangling guitar and bouncing drums accompanied on the computer by playful bass, horns, and synth from a GarageBand-like program. It’s the some most infectious indie-pop to be created to date. If you’re into this kind of music even tangentially, this is a must have in your collection.

Will I play it on my show? I have and will continue to do so. RIYL – She and Him, New Pornographers, Mates of State, The Postal Service.

http://www.thesubmarines.com/
http://www.myspace.com/thesubmarinesmusic

MUSIC REVIEW - Dragon Fli Empire

Dragon Fli Empire – Redefine

I found this to be very mediocre rap. It’s two Canadian rappers who are highly concerned with their listeners knowing their name, and the byproduct of this is “Dragon Fli Empire, DFE!” being the principal lyric on most tracks. The music can’t make amends for this annoying trait, as the mixes are not very complex or interesting. The one possibly redeeming feature was a kinda cool scratching of an audience clapping on track 2, but that’s pretty much it.

Will I play it on my show? No. RIYL – Canadian rap.


Myspace

MUSIC REVIEW - Core Effect

Core Effect – Armored Shades of Light

Do you like modern rock? If no, stop – if yes, continue.

Do you like Metallica? If no, stop – if yes, continue.

Do you like bands that pretend to be Metallica? If no, then you read this far for nothing – if yes, you’ll like this band.

NOTE: I don't think the band knows that their CD cover looks like goatse.


Will I play it on my show? No. RIYL – Bands pretending to be Metallica.


Myspace

MUSIC REVIEW - A.C. Newman

A.C. Newman – Get Guilty

This is A.C. Newman – if you like him or The New Pornographers, you’ll like this a lot too. However, it is slightly different than some of his recent work, solo or otherwise: It’s a little more focused on the raw instrumentation, and less so on creating overwhelming or highly emotive melodies. The sound layering is not as intense as it was on “The Slow Wonder” or the last two New Pornographers albums, but that’s not to say the songs aren’t as complex. They just don’t … glisten as much, if that makes sense. They are still the same highly melodic and saccharine style as you would expect from A.C. Newman, and are the same high quality, but the post production left more of the pure track.

The differences being overly analyzed as such, I must say that I like this album quite a bit. It’s good ol’ indie pop, and it feels right at home with his previous work while representing more of his evolution as a musician. I do believe he’s one of the greatest songwriters out there today, and if you like indie or pop music, you should really check him out. This album just offers further proof of that.

Will I play it on my show? Undoubtedly. RIYL - The New Pornographers, Destroyer, A.C. Newman

http://www.acnewman.net/
http://www.myspace.com/acnewman