The Epic Begins

Here are a few personal record reviews of some tasty treats I've recently purchased:

Belle and Sebastian - "Push Barman to Open Old Wounds"
This album is nothing short of fantastic. I've always been a fan of Belle and Sebastian's music, but there's never been much variation. All previous albums were good, just a bit similar. "Push Barman..." however steps out a bit from the typical and into the extraordinary. The two-disc record, compiled of old ep's, is filled with influences from bluegrass, classical, blues, ragtime, and country/western, yet still hold onto that solid Belle and Sebastian foundation that makes them so great.

Rilo Kiley - "More Adventerous"
I've always been a skeptic of indie-rock bands with cute girls as the lead singer. I've also always tried my best to dislike Rilo Kiley. However, their music is better than my first impression of a band with a girl lead singer. "More Adventerous" is the band's first release on a major label (WB) and with that comes an extra touch on the recording. The guitars are sharper, the vocals clearer, and the layers undeniable. Influences spanning four decades help make each song a new adventure.

Coldplay - "X&Y"
Coldplay has done it. They've built an epic record on their past two recording experiences. "Parachutes" and "A Rush of Blood to the Head" were outstanding records in that they were well thought, recorded flawlessly and very listenable. "X&Y" however takes what little pieces the first two records lacked, filled in the gaps and came out perfect. Of course there are the few songs that I would rather skip over to get to the real stand-out tracks like "Fix You", but every song on the record is amazing. Coldplay have really accomplished much with this album. Let the critics have their say, but I say "Perfect!"


In unrelated news: The New York Yankees (The Bronx Bombers) have lost nine of their last 10 games, including losing the last two to the Brewers. And on top of that the St Louis Cardinals have taken the last two games away from the Boston Red Sox, who I respect, but who also swept my Cards in the 2004 World Series.