Archive for the ‘Album Reviews’ Category

Album Review: Elizabeth & the Catapult – Taller Children

Elizabeth & the Catapult - Taller Children

Elizabeth & the Catapult - Taller Children

Despite what could be construed as a strangely typical name for this era of music, Elizabeth & the Catapult are hardly the typifying outfit of the accompanying sound. Inflected with vocals with a style more keen on jazz than post-punk and an outright affinity for Cocteausian dream pop, Taller Children is something “new” from the outset.

Elizabeth & the Catapult — “Taller Children” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/TallerChildren.mp3]

Produced largely by Saddle Creek alumnus Mike Mogis — the one exception is the titular track, which was produced by Jim Eno of Spoon and the dubious-careered Jon Kaplan (who has produced such masterworks as … the Jonas Brothers!) — Taller Children is a solid pop record with a cheerful melodic bent taking the musical front seat in the recording, and the production supports that without becoming intrusive. Never does a song sound overproduced or forced, much to the album’s benefit. (more…)

Review: Chase Pagan — Bells & Whistles

Bells & Whistles

Bells & Whistles

The last time I heard much of Chase Pagan, he was performing at The Electric Theater in St. George, Utah: That was somewhere around four years ago, before the birth of MusicGeek.org. It’s with some pleasure, then, that it is that I give Bells & Whistles, his latest, a listen.

“Life Garden” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/LifeGarden.mp3]

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Review: Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear - VeckatimestDespite a newly inducted sonic clarity, Grizzly Bear’s Veckatimest takes the high road: This is not an album that relies on “slick” production to craft something of quality. No, while Veckatimest is undeniably better recorded than previous Grizzly Bear efforts, there’s something undeniably exciting in this frenetic indie pop.

Grizzly Bear — “Cheerleader” | download
[audio:http://www.musicgeek.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/cheerleader.mp3]

Claims of Veckatimest being a more accessible pop record aren’t actually wide of the mark — but don’t for a minute be detracted by the notion of accessibility. Grizzly Bear’s psych-folk tendencies really shine in the open, spacious reverberating soundscape, and rather than getting lost amongst the noise, listeners are rewarded with a clarity that’s a bit unusual for the many-layered recording here. (more…)