Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mosquito

We haven't heard any new material from Yeah Yeah Yeah's for close to 4 years and after the fantastic 'It's Blitz' came out back in 2009 I have been yurning for more from this trio ever since. Mosquito however I feel isn't the follow up I had hope from by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, it's certainly not as memorable or instant as either 'It's Blitz' or 'Fever To Tell' and it doesn't reach the astonishing highs the flawed 'Show Us Your Bones' reached. When I listen to this album I often feel like I'm listening to a band that had a long period of writers block during the album writing process and it's an album that provides very few highs and an astonishing amount of misfires. It's not as if the is anything particularly offensive on this album, it's just I always leave this album feeling like the is no reason to come back at all, and that's the first time I've felt this way about a Yeah Yeah Yeahs album; as far away from bad as it may be it's equally as distant from being 'great'. Song's such as 'Mosquito' and 'Area 51' come off as a band completely going by the motions and that's a real shame. 

Album Review: The Knife - Shaking The Habitual

Definitely near the top of my most anticipated records of the year list once announced I've been looking forward to a new album from The Knife ever since Silent Shout blew my mind way back in 2006, the surreal electronic pop music was simply wonderful, and when the day came for this albums release I turned my stereo up to 11 and was prepared to digest this album in all it's off beat glory. A departure/evolution of sound was to be expected on this album, you can hardly expect a band not to evolve in 6 years, however I found myself largely underwhelmed by this album. It's not that it isn't interesting, it is very interesting, it's just I don't think the core songwriting is very good with many songs hitting their peak way before they conclude. It's a good album, but it's not the masterpiece I was hoping for and as far as I'm concerned it doesn't even come close to the masterpiece 'Silent Shout' you may disagree and the is plenty to appreciate in this album but for me it's got the foundations to be a great album but it's chock full of filler & failed experimentation. 

Album Review: Paramore - S/T

Having never been a huge fan of Paramore, but always been a big fan of their singles, I've found myself listening to their entire discography over the years but have never been overly impressed; sure they were often showing glimpses of being a great pop punk band, but the reliance on a strict formula and cringe worthy ballads totally killed it for me. On their latest self titled album I was totally caught off guard by how much I enjoyed this album, with a total line up overhaul, Paramore have strung together a diverse collection of top tier pop songs that just relentlessly deliver in memorable hooks, melodies and energy. With tracks such as 'Fast In My Car', 'Grow Up' & 'Ain't It Fun' all jostling for single of the year you also have some awesome heavier moments such as the Post Rock closer 'Future'. It could be criticised for being perhaps a bit too long but as far as I'm concerned the isn't really a dud on the whole album, but if it was only 12 track it'd have been one of the greatest pop record released this generation.  As it stands it's a flawed pop masterpiece.