Mike Doughty "Golden Delicious" Grade: A ATO Records Sounds Like: Sing-along, self-taught alt-pop backed by one of the most original voices in music. Listen to his 2005 album "Haughty Melodic."
"Golden Delicious," the new album by Mike Doughty, is just as he claims: golden and delicious. It takes a step back from its practiced predecessor, 2005's "Haughty Melodic," arriving at a more spontaneous sound. The move suits Doughty's original vocal stylings perfectly, as much of the album involves wordless vocalizations like "bums" and "dengs" as opposed to words.
Even with the level of improvisation, Doughty never strays from his cool groove, keeping the pace consistent and relaxed. On first listen, the album feels almost too easy, then the sound begins to seep into you as the end of the album arrives and you realize you need more.
Ten listens later, you can pick out the imperfections in the synth solo (much of the album was recorded live in studio), which is quite fascinating. There's honesty in spontaneity.
The album jams for five tracks to the first single "27 Jennifers," then fades until a strong four-track finish picks it back up in a more poetic vibe with the song "Wednesday."
Overall, Doughty's new album is addictive, simply melodic and intensely rhythmic. His original, poppy sound is flat-out fun.
-TY BUDDE
Bon Iver "For Emma, Forever Ago" Grade: A Jagjaguwar Sounds like: Burrowing into a blanket of snow in the north woods for a very good winter.
At this point in the year, winter feels like it may never end, but Bon Iver's Feb. 19 re-release of "For Emma, Forever Ago," might make you decide you don't mind winter so much after all.
Bon Iver, a purposeful misspelling of the French for "good winter," is Justin Vernon, formerly of DeYarmond Edison. Vernon's indie-folk compositions, perfect for curling up with a cup of cocoa, sound as fragile as snowflakes and evoke a sense of the isolation in which they were created.
His intimate falsetto, a centerpiece of the album, blends seamlessly with the hushed intensity laced throughout his lyrics and driven by the rhythms of an urgent acoustic guitar.
His gravelly voice soars on the catchy "Skinny Love" and swells mournfully among the wallowing lows of "The Wolves (Act I and II)," but no matter how bare the instrumentation or chaotic the percussion, his vocals are every bit as alluring - simultaneously haunting and inviting.
Each of Vernon's introspective tracks stands beautifully on its own, yet contributes perfectly to his symphony of solitude. Even the lushly instrumental tracks, complemented by horns or backup vocals, serve to reinforce the overall serenity of the album and help to fill out what otherwise may have become an excessively empty, stripped-down album.
For all the hype, Vernon's short debut will certainly outplay expectations, leaving listeners begging for more.
-MADALYN WASILCZUK
The Wonder Years "Get Stoked On It!" Grade: B- No Sleep Sounds like: A bloodshot-eyed Cap'n Crunch performing unspeakable acts with a female pitcher of Kool Aid.
You shouldn't judge a book by its cover. However, you should absolutely, without hesitation, judge a CD by its artwork. Truly terrible bands usually feel no motivation to keep their abysmalness from overflowing, usually resulting in corresponding cover art. It would make sense that an album called "Get Stoked On It!," the cover of which features a bloodshot-eyed Cap'n Crunch performing unspeakable acts with a female pitcher of Kool Aid, would be the height of all things low-quality.
The Wonder Years, however, pull off something interesting in the fact that they aren't actually bad. They are unabashedly silly, with song titles such as "Keystone State Dude-Core" and "Bout to Get Fruit Punched, Homie." "Let's Moshercise!" even goes as far as outlining an actual diet plan centering around the aerobic benefits of moshing.
Despite the fact that the majority of their lyrics' subject matter includes not showering and breakfast cereals, they play a respectable blend of pop-punk drawing from the speed of Lifetime and the synth style of Motion City Soundtrack. They also throw in the occasional hardcore-esque breakdown bridge, as well as screaming background vocals, all of which add up to a colorful punk sound. Their style isn't overly original as it is essentially a mosaic of elements from other punk bands, but the way everything is pieced together results in a surprisingly cohesive whole.
They probably won't be singled out for their originality or their maturity, but The Wonder Years are undeniably catchy and fun. If you're sick of taking your music seriously, "Get Stoked On It!" could be the disc for you.
-CAMERON CONWAY
Jack Johnson "Sleep Through The Static" Grade: B+ Brushfire Records Sounds Like: A sun-powered lullaby.
Jack Johnson's wavy surfer guitar riffs are back. "Sleep Through the Static," released Feb. 5, was recorded in L.A. using 100 percent solar power. Its immediate sales success (reaching No. 1 on Billboard) relies on Johnson's laid-back style. He owes it to his irresistible hooks, which are striking for their naturally genuine sound. "Sleep Through the Static," though more elaborate than Johnson's previous releases, does not sound at all overdone. It follows the surfer's classic style: stripped, cut-to-the-bone lyrics, composed by a couple of apparently toothless words. Listen to Johnson's lyrics a second time, and they'll bite you. The simple tones and dominant harmonies threaten to tease the listener like a gentle tickle.
The country guitar licks in "Adrift," the oo-oo-oo's at the start of "Hope" and the political overtones of the title track are definitely variations on his old ways. In this last song, Johnson describes what he feels as he changes channels and discovers that "we went far beyond where we should have gone" in the war in Iraq. This is perhaps the album's static shock: A surfer that used to sing about the trivial is now humming about what's vital.
-LAURA BUSCHE
