As the semester winds down, I need to take some time to pack up my room, pack up for China and get my studies done. This means, sadly, one thing. I will need to take a hiatus on my blog. If you feel so inclined you can still follow me on twitter.

I have projects, papers and test galore that will keep me rather busy until the 15th. And, leaving for China in just 14 days! Can you believe it? I can not.

When I come back, I’m sure the CDs will be stacked high on my desk. So the reviews will start rolling back in when I get back to the states, but this blog is gonna turn into a LiveJournal type master piece as I begin to document my days in Beijing.

Have any tips for this young traveler? Or any suggestions what should be on my playlist for the 14 hour flight?

Enjoy your spring, blog readers.

Sara Knee

Think Bowie. Plus over manufactured Atlantic. Yep. You got it. Atlantic is holding on and trying to get money for recorded music. the rules have changes, so with bands like Tally Hall, Atlantic will hopefully seem indie enough for the music lovers that still buy music to buy their music. This move from Atlantic just shows the state of the music industry. They are going under, so they are trying to pull the right chord to inflate the life-saver raft.

But let’s talk about Tally Hall. I call this genre “work casual.” It’s family-friendly, but different than top 40 stuff, so you can get all the fun of being a casual “indie” listener without being indie at all! For the band work casual means falling under indie pop on iTunes or record shops (do they exist anymore), but signed to a major and appear to be doing it for the money (work.

So, cubical workers rejoice, here’s the band you’ve been waiting for! It’s the soundtrack to play quietly at your desk on casual Fridays, instead of easy-listening radio. It’s just fun, and cool, enough!

One final comment. Their album cover. Whatever is up with the background, I don’t care. I’m more focused on the members of Tally Hall. They remind me of either children show hosts, such as the Wiggles (with their assorted colors) or the Power Rangers, where even out of costume they would still wear their secret identity color in their street clothes, or rather their work casual clothes.

Chin Chin - Chin Chin (Def Jux)

This Is Modern jazz and funk in a fuzz-tastic way. i haven’t heard anything like this groovy since the 70’s (and I didn’t exist then). Even after drawing heavy influences from the older time period, the band does not sound retro but more pop. when people speak of fushion, they should be citing Chin Chin as their exhibit A.

Their cultural and genre mixture is rich in sound and really full of flavor. Chin Chin has an influence from everywhere and every-when. “Miami” takes some Latin horns with a 70’s R&B sound. Rating: B-

So they pre-released their album cover. And then the album came out. (Well, technically it will be “out” in stores May 20th.) If the cover was any indication, I probably shouldn’t be surprised at the sound associated with that crazy looking cover.

I don’t know what happened to them. Was it the switch to Anti? Or the constantly changing and dropping of band members? Either way they seem to have lost their wit, fun and overall pop essence. If you still are looking for any connection to the Unicorns, forget it. The what- used-to-be-Unicorns seemed to have disintegrated somewhere in the album artwork.

Let’s talk about the artwork. What is it? What’s with it? Is the “epic” artwork an attempt to match their new “epic” rock sound?

“Creeper” brings back the memories of the Island’s glory days from their album Return to the Sea. “Kids Don’t Know Shit” also got my attention. It reminded me slightly more of Arcade Fire than the Islands I knew. Just when you think all is lost, “Life In Jail” breaks into a country-violin-based break down, and just confuses me more.

I know they are changing their sound, I know bands do that from time to time. But, I don’t consider this a smooth or successful transition. They may being taking a step back with this release.

Islands - Rough Gem (from their first album: Return To The Sea)

Rating: C

This Is Ivy League - This Is Ivy League (Twentyseven Records)

I guess i have a sweet tooth for sweet music. i like indie pop. So when This Is Ivy League’s self-titled album showed up in my mail box, I couldn’t resist to give it a full and fair listening.

Although the promoter’s sticker compared them to Vampire Weekend, they also mentioned Parliament/Funkadelic (who one of the members played guitar with occasionally), which canceled out the VW reference.

There is a nice mix of instruments. The vocals are nice. The folk mixed with pop is nice. The lyrics are nice. Overall, It’s nice. No matter the track, it always breaks into a catchy pop hook and chorus. How nice.

Favorite tracks include the poppy “The Richest Kids In Town.” and the horn-introduced “Love Is Impossible.”

Track Listing:

1. The Richest Kids In Town
2. Love Is Impossible
3. London Bridges
4. Viola
5. Celebration
6. An Introduction
7. A Summer Chill
8. Modern World
9. Til The Day
10. Visions Of Tokyo
11. Don’t Waste Your Love On Me

Clinic has always done their own thing, and they continue on doing their thing on their 5th release, Do It. They continue on with their business without it being tired. They continue to push their own envelopes.

Clinic - Do It! (Domino)

They re-enter into the scene after two years with their gritty guitars and psychedelic mentality. “Memories” is fantastic with the lyrical breakdown followed by the craziness of the drums. “Tomorrow” also plays with the heavy beat, using guitars plucked to their limits.

The Ade Blackburn sounds like he’s clenching his jaw as he sings. His style matches well with the “struggling” instruments. All four-band members sound like they are performing at wits end.

“Shopping Bag” is straight up rock n’ roll. Meanwhile, “Emotions” is a “softer” (and I use that word lightly) 50’s pop song done in Clinic’s pushing-the-sound-barrier style.

The album is quite odd but its so intriguing. And let’s face it so are these guys. They perform usually in scrubs and facial masks. The energy in this album is so contagious. Take a listen.

Track Listing:
1. Memories
2. Tomorrow
3. The Witch (made to measure)
4. Free Not Free
5. Shopping Bag
6. Corpus Christi
7. Emotions
8. High Coin
9. Mary and Eddie
10. Winged Wheel
11. Coda

French Kicks - Swimming (Vagrant)

I’ll give this album a rating: B-. It was enjoyable, not a favorite and didn’t completely amaze me. It sounded familiar and as a human, people like what they already know. So with that said:

There is something very organic about this album. Swimming has some kind of innocence and gentleness that still packs a little punch that keep you listening not for something better but for what’s next. The album is very congruent each track seems to be a distinctive and different part of the puzzle. Everything seems deliberate. In “With The Fishes” the drumbeats vary in volume, the harmonics whether they be sung or played on keyboard are just lovely.

There is always an equal and opposite reaction. In this case, bands have been taking an equal and opposite reaction years past electro-infused music with a natural take on indie. The French Kicks are a fine example of this reaction.

Tracklist For Swimming :

01. Abandon **
02. Over The World
03. Carried Away
04. New Man
05. Said So What **
06. Atlanta
07. Love In The Ruins **
08. With The Fishes
09. The Way You Arrive
10. All Our Weekends
11. Sex Tourists
12. This Could Go Wrong

Wye Oak’s If Children (released off of Merge) amazed me. It started with “Please Concrete”. “Please Concrete” starts out quietly and then breaks into a rock feedback explosion. The explosion is contained just as you feel another explosion coming, it shifts to another track.

It’s Wye Oak’s timing that plays on the listeners’ anticipation. the vocalist has a twee sound which plays off well with the electric guitars and feedback.

Wye Oak goes through various songs each well crafted and beautifully done. On the track listing I starred my favorites.

On “Regret”, it opens with gentle guitar playing with male vocals that sways with a harmonica which works out well. The lyrics are heavy with aquatic imagery. It makes the listen feel as if they are riding on gentle swells.

Wye Oak takes you on an epic journey through water, wind and earth. from feeling close to feeling a drift, this band knows how to translate music, sounds and effects into emotion, encompassing language. I can’t compare the Wye Oak experience to any other indie (or otherwise) artist. They do their own thing and they do it well

Track Listing:
1. Please Concrete**
2. Warning**
3. Regret**
4. Archaic Smile
5. Family Glue
6. Orchard Fair
7. I Don’t Feel Young**
8. Keeping Company
9. A Lawn To Mow
10. If Children Were Wishes**
11. Obituary*

With less of the scratchy, but more of the jazz of Janis Joplin, Pepi Ginsberg swoons and indier-tains on her solo album, Red. Park the Van’s Taster: Vol. 3 (click here for my review), did it’s job. I wanted more. And sure enough Red arrived in my mailbox.

Although, there is a light connection between Pepi and the other fine female vocalists, such as (the aforementioned) Janis Joplin, Cat Power and even Sarah Vaughn, Pepi Ginsberg does her own thing in a very unique and completely original album. The hints of inspriration from the Caribbeanin the beats makes “Ghosts of Perdition” my favorite track, along with “Waterline” which was on the label’s sampler.

It’s no surprise that Dr. Dog’s own producer, Scott McMicken produced this completely genuine album. If you haven’t already, I strongly suggest you check it. (It hits store April 22nd.

Track Listing
1. Son
2. The Waterline
3. The Contortionist
4. In My Bones
5. Nothing More
6. Shone Like A Reverie
7. Wind Or Degree
8. Lately
9. Ghosts of Perdition
10. White White White

Edit (4/18): Removed Waterline link.

Back in the day, well-known musicians would roam the streets of Sesame. Artists from Johnny Cash to Steven Tyler to the Spin Doctors have hung out with Big Bird, Elmo and Oscar the Grouch.

A new artist will be hanging out with the furry and feathered friends. However, she’s a wonderful artist, and she’ll be singing one of her largest singles. In fact, if you don’t like under a rock, you’ve probably heard it. Don’t know whom I am talking about? Think iPod.

I’m talking about Feist. The little songbird who put out music years before her break with the iPod commercial. You know, it’s the “1, 2, 3, 4″. Get it? For kids, it’s counting. What’s my point? Good for her?

Well, my initial reaction was: “that’s adorable”. And upon further thought, how do we all know about that song? Through an advertisement, right? Will the main audience of Sesame Street, children, recognize that song? Yes. They didn’t delve into the indie world where Feist got her start, they don’t seek out music, and they enjoy music that comes to them. So obviously, jingles, songs sung on television shows (such as Sesame Street) and music taught in classrooms is picked up and become known.

So fine? That’s the way it has been for years. But the iPod phenomenon has happened. The songs chosen by Apple to sell their iPods have greatly increased in sales after the commercial. So the sales go up. That could be because of branding with Apple or that the commercials often being played repetitively. Let’s go with the bulk of commercial airtime.

Children younger than second and third grade can’t even tell between programming and advertising. So that brings in the ethics, should children be advertised to? Even if they aren’t being targeted, they are still affected by commercials. In this case, iPods, as far as I know, weren’t directed to the Sesame Street crowd, however, these young children will recognize the “1, 2, 3, 4”. (If you need to, listen here.)

Now, I’m not ragging on Feist for doing her thing or doing the iPod commercial. She would be crazy not to. And like I said, I think it’s really cute for her do that song for children. (Just a note: She recorded her visit on Sesame Street and it will air sometime this year.) But, I’m just kinda surprised (if that’s the right word) that a song that is so strongly associated with advertising is up in the ranks with Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” (before that was used in a commercial) and being used on a children’s show.

But really, rumors have it, that Sesame Street is going under a make over of sorts. I’ve heard that they want to replace Cookie Monster (because he’s obese and promoting sugary foods) with a Veggie Monster. And they want to gentrify the street some more and kick out their only homeless resident Oscar the Grouch.

If I wasn’t raised on Mr. Rogers and cartoons, I’d be outraged by the character changes. But I’m not outraged. I guess I’m just a little confused. We want the world to be perfect; we want our children’s shows to reflect this imaginary perfect world. You know, the world that’s so perfect. The same world advertisements show, where everyone is happy and in shape and can count to four simultaneously.