Okay folks -- a bunch of reviews here as I've been slack the past few weeks. A plethora of relatively good stuff, as well. Also, check out the new linkage.

Jay

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Artist: Isobel Campbell Album: Amorino
Label: Instinct Rating: A surprising 3.75 *s out of 5

I was prepared to loathe this album. I had never been fond of Isobel Campbell and her Gentle Waves album, which were little more than watered-down Belle and Sebastian numbers done over with her hamster-like vocals. Oddly enough, after her split with that band, she couldn't get them to collobarate on new music.
Which is a good thing. In this album, she shows her influence from jazz and samba in some tracks, which suits her talent and temperament better. In her better moments, there are sounds like a modern rendition of Sergio Mendes and Brazil 66 and that whole cool movement.
Don't ge tme wrong. There are a few clunckers here -- a just weird 20s/Dixieland number being the worst -- mostly her attempts at the B&S Twee-ness she typically mistakes as affectedly sappy melancholia.

All tracks clean.
Recommended Tracks: 6, 9, 12
Play if you like: Gentles Waves, High Llamas, Trembling Blue Stars/Aberdeen
Site: Here
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Artist: Belle and Sebastian Album: Dear Catastrophe Waitress
Label: Rough Trade Rating: 4.75 *s out of 5

Whoo-hoo! A new start for B&S works wonders! Moving from their long-time label Jeepster, finding a new producer in the form of Trevor Horne (yes, the one who did TaTu) and having ditched Bel Campbell from their line-up during their US tour last year have all combined for their best album in a while.
Horne lends them some forgotten hader rock sounds (Yes, forgotten. Keep in mind the band was born as a Metal Band called Rhode Island. Yes it was.) that create some great pop music like the title track, track one and eleven.
They keep a strong grip on the pop sounds they're famous for, but tweak them a bit. There's all the orchestral strength you remember, but it shifts into brassy, more voiced sounds rather than oodles of strings. (2)
And just cause they're Belle and Sebastian, there's some great twee stuff -- Lord Anthony, track 9, has been done for at least 5 years live and finally get the studio treatment it deserves. It's a heart-breaking little tale of Anthony, beat up at school and crossdressing...
The .25 reduction comes from the Noise Factor Horne brings with him: in several tracks, esp. in the last track (the poorest outing), it stops being The Funk and starts to be The Pest.
But still A Damn Fine Album. Worth all those days in 97 I spent drooling over Stuart Murdoch.

All Tracks clean
Recommended tracks 11!!, 1, 9
Play if you like: Good music. This has it all.
Site: Here

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Artist: The Quails Album: The Song is Love
Label: Mr Lady Rating: A good, solid 3.5 *s out of 5

Woo-hoo! Rock! Angry, socially/politically aware Punk, no less!
Think the queer-punk sensibilities of Le Tigre mixed in with some old-skool,
three chord power punk sounds, with just the slightest soupcon of poppy
goodness for good measure (the ooh-oohs on track
8). Song topics include gender restriction (1), War on poverty (5,7,9) and
political machinations (9,11).
Track 7 is an extremely atypical sort of hippy march anthem.
Pick your movement and rock, yo!
Also, they rock live!

Preferred tracks: 1, 5 and 6
Gots Dirty Words: 1 says "Fuck" and 12 says "shit".
Play if you like: Le Tigre, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Queers
Site: Here

PS: Play track one since this weekend is Pride...

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Artist: Stellastar Album: s/t
Label: RCA/Tiswas Rating: 4 *s out of 5

I'm a sucker for some goods 80s Sounds. The major emphasis here is The Cure,
but there are also elements of Joy Division/New Order and Duran Duran. The
album comes up with almost no originality (note the fact it's on RCA
Records...) but makes good use its influences to produce some fun music.
Consider them the 80s Version of labelmates the Raveonettes (q. v.), with whom they're currently on tour.

Preferred tracks: 2, *4* and 6
All tracks clean (Unsuprisingly)
Site: Here

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Artist: Jett Album: Get Born
Label: Elektra Rating: 3 *s out of 5

Hey! It's Jet!
Hey! It's The Hives!
Hey! It's The White Stripes!
Hey! It's The Raveonettes!
Hey! It's The --Insert your Label's Garage Rock Creation Here--!

Elektra's attempt to cash in on the crazy low-fi sounds the kids dig. It's rock, it's good. It just has nothing to make it different from any of the other bands above. They were on Conan O'Brien this week. That's all you can say, really.

Dirty Words: 8 says "bitch". A Cold, Hard one in fact.
Preferred tracks: 2, 4 and 8.
Site: Here

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Artist: The Roman Candles Album: Bang! Bang! Bang!
Label: self-released (?) Rating: 3.5 *s out of 5

This band is from Alaska. It's the creation of Matt Hopper, who seems to be the Alaskan version of The Shit. Rock-inflected poppy goodness. It's fun. It's good, but I can't really think of anything particular to say about it. It sounds /a lot/ like Weezer, bit is a bit savvier and poppier.

All tracks clean.
Preferred tracks: 1 is great. Also 7 and 9.
Play if you like: Weezer
Site: Here

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Artist: Sparrow Album: s/t
Label: Overcoat Rating: 4 *s out of 5

Mellow, sweet pop. Think: a more reduced Belle and Sebastian sound. Mostly slow, day-dreamy stuff, kinda like the stuff they call Shoe-Gaze. Slightly reedy vocals. Suits the recent weather perfectly. It was started by a bloke who started a band with one of the New Pornographers.

Play if you like: the New Pornographers, Ben Folds, Rilo Kiley or Aberdeen
Preferred tracks: All really, but 1,3, and 9 stand out the most.
Site: Here

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Artist: Jeff Buckley Album: Live at Sin-E ("Legacy Version")
Label: Columbia Rating: 2 *s out of 5

Buckley may have been sober when he drowned in the Mississippi, but he sure wasn't for these recordings. The majority of this two disc, three hour extended re-release (original EP was 3 songs and MAYBE twenty minutes long) is coke-addled rambling monologues. As in, he tries to walk through the wall at one point. He fails, but there's an amusing 'thump'. His music, though, is really incredible once you get to it. The version of "Hallelujah" is superior to that on his Grace album. All in all, this re-issue detracts from his memory and denegrates his music since you have to wade through crap to get to the gems.

You all know enough about Buckey to know that all tracks are clean.
Recommended tracks: Disc 1 -- 2, 3, 15, 16; Disc 2 -- 10, 12, 16
Site: Here

***

Artist: Jett Album: Get Born
Label: Elektra Rating: 3 *s out of 5

Hey! It's Jet!
Hey! It's The Hives!
Hey! It's The White Stripes!
Hey! It's The Raveonettes!
Hey! It's The --Insert your Label's Garage Rock Creation Here--!

Elektra's attempt to cash in on the crazy low-fi sounds the kids dig. It's rock, it's good. It just has nothing to make it different from any of the other bands above. They were on Conan O'Brien this week. That's all you can say, really.

Dirty Words: 8 says "bitch". A Cold, Hard one in fact.
Preferred tracks: 2, 4 and 8.

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Artist: The Roman Candles Album: Bang! Bang! Bang!
Label: self-released (?) Rating: 3.5 *s out of 5

This band is from Alaska. It's the creation of Matt Hopper, who seems to be the Alaskan version of The Shit. Rock-inflected poppy goodness. It's fun. It's good, but I can't really think of anything particular to say about it. It sounds /a lot/ like Weezer.

All tracks clean.
Preferred track: 1 is great. Also 7 and 9
Play if you like Weezer and other mid 90s pop-rock like Dressie Bessie.
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Artist: Sparrow Album: s/t
Label: Overcoat Rating 4 *s out of 5

Mellow, sweet pop. Think: a more reduced Belle and Sebastian sound. Mostly slow, day-dreamy stuff, kinda like the stuff they call Shoe-Gaze. Slightly reedy vocals. Suits the recent weather perfectly.

Play if you like the New Pornographers, Ben Folds, Rilo Kiley or Aberdeen
Preferred tracks: All really, but 1,3, and 9 stand out the most.
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Artist: Jeff Buckley Album: Live at Sin-E ("Legacy Version")

Label: Columbia Rating: 2 *s out of 5

Buckley may have been sober when he drowned in the Mississippi, but he sure wasn't or these recordings. The majority of this two disc, three hour extended re-release (original EP was 3 songs and MAYBE twenty minutes long) is coke-addled rambling monologues. As in, he tries to walk through the wall at one point. He fails, but there's an amusing 'thump'. His music, though, is really incredible once you get to it. The version of "Hallelujah" is superior to that on Grace. All in all, this re-issue detracts from his memory and denegrates his music since you have to wade through crap to get to the gems.