Summer Blockbuster Edition! (pt 2)

WE'RE BACK!  I'm sure you've all already seen the first installment of our chronicle of summer music releases.  If not, scroll down.  If yes, here is part two!

Less Than Jake - GNV FLA

After courting the mainstream over the past few studio releases, and catching considerable criticism for it, Less Than Jake's eight studio album comes full circle--not only musically, getting back to the irresistibly catchy horns that first broke them onto the ska-punk scene, but also lyrically, with an eloquent tribute to the unabbreviated album title and college town that so firmly holds the band's roots, Gainesville, Florida.

GNV FLA is without a doubt a trip through reminiscence  for members of Less Than Jake.  The only complaint one could have is that there is no subtlety whatsoever.  Tracks one and two, titled respectively: "The City of Gainesville" and "The State of Florida" are just an example.  The tracks act as one, setting up the theme and if nothing else, the mindset needed to fully appreciate the rest of the album.  The tracks start off with the slow bounce of ska-tar and horns and the sweet, sweet vocals of Roger, effectively a prologue to the story being told.  After track two, it becomes (at least musically) very traditional as per Less Than Jake.  It's no Pezcore, but it's certainly Borders & Boundaries-esque.  

The last thing I want to point out, particularly to Less Than Jake who felt a bit let down by their previous album In With The Out Crowd, GNV FLA  is significantly less....'pristine' than IWTOC was, making for a more raw, more traditional ska-punk listening experience.  Sounds like they either fired the sound guy from album priori, or just whipped him into shape, because the newest effort is not wrapped in that fresh plastic sheen that leaves much to be desired.

GNV FLA is nothing short of an amazing Less Than Jake record.  Back-to-roots musicality and lyricism cause deep satisfaction, despite some nay-sayers and their claims of bluntness.

8.0/10

 Girl Talk - Feed The Animals

What is there to say about mash-up mix-master Girl Talk?  Formerly a Biomedical Engineering student, sample-based DJ Gregg Gillis released his fourth full length album, demonstrating yet another exercise in 'spot the sample'.  Or as Uncrate put it, "Feed The Animals is like a musical scavenger hunt, mashing Faith No More with Busta Rhymes..."

There's really not much to analyze about an album like this.  Although none of the actual music is original, the sample mashups are masterfully executed, and it's so fuckin' catchy it's almost hard not to dance to it!  If I would've know that they teach you that kind of stuff in Biomed Engineering school, perhaps I would be studying something completely different...

7.5/10

Spiritualized - Songs in A&E

I'll be honest right off the bat.  I'm a newcomer to the Spiritualized-style minimalist orchestral rock.  You want more honesty?  Okay fine.  It's good.  It's really fucking good.  It reminds me of a combination of old Wilco and new Wilco.  Almost as if Jeff Tweedy wanted to make the music he's making now, but didn't have access to all of the cool artists and tools he works with.  

The song is broken up into sections by wistful instrumental interludes labelled "Harmony" 1-6.  They provide a superb tie between the songs on the album.  The record takes a while to get off the ground (probably purposefully), with tracks like "Sweet Talk" almost stereotypical in folk-rock and "Death Take Your Fiddle" dragging its toes on the ground almost the whole way through.  But by the time "Soul on Fire" (my personal favorite) comes tweeting through your speakers, Spiritualized has hit full swing, executing not-so-minimal minimalist rock at its very, very finest.  As the "Harmony" tracks occur more frequently toward the end, the record comes to a close with a very lofty, sentimental feel.  Like ending a long night on psychedelics listening to post-rock as it starts to get light outside.  Fittingly, the album ends on a track called "Goodnight Goodnight" featuring the lyrics "Goodnight, goodnight, you're coming down...".

Like I said, I'm new to Spiritualized and they're astoundingly beautiful execution of this style of music, but it's so good......and I will most certainly seek out more.

8.5/10