Peter Gabriel has pulled apart a handful of songs by other people, rebuilt them with the help of a symphony and rerecorded them in his voice. Most of the songs are almost unrecognizable from the original versions and that’s fine with me because this is a fantastic album – assuming you like orchestras and Peter Gabriel.

This album is a lot of things but most of all Scratch My Back is a showcase for Peter Gabriel’s voice. The songs instrumentation is sparse and often quiet forcing Gabriel’s voice to do the heavy lifting. The result is a really wonderful album but one that will be hard for many to really enjoy. The songs are all very slow and earnest and if not in the mood for that very thing, the album will likely be either boring or annoying, possibly both.

Despite the massive amount of wonder and beauty in the whole album, the true standout for me is Gabriel’s cover of Bon Iver’s “Flume.” Jesus, this is great. Already a fantastic song, Gabriel has delivered a bare version with some serious emotional strength. Other standouts include a take on The Magnetic Fields’ “The Book of Love” and the Talking Heads’ song “Listening Wind.”

One miss on the album is the cover of Radiohead’s “Street Spirit” and that was a huge let down for me as when I saw the track listing, it was one of the tracks I wanted most to hear. In fact, when I first played the album I jumped forward to that song, not a good move and I don’t suggest doing this. The song doesn’t work. But eh, whatever… the rest of the album makes up for it.

While I recommend the album, I’d suggest you check it out first to make sure it’s up your alley.

I know I’m supposed to like this. I’m a member of the “indie” crowd and as such, I am obligated to like this. But I can’t lie – this is not my favorite. It may just be the old age or the fact that we’ve just seen way too much of this – and by “this” I mean Beach House’s sound. Sure “Norway” is a decent song and was played EVERYWHERE and sure the album sounds pretty and flows well but it’s just too late for me. Had this album come out a couple years ago, sure I might have really enjoyed it but not now and not in 2010 with 1,000 other bands putting out the same album every couple of weeks.

Who knows though, it may grow on me. I’m not counting Beach House out and I’m not saying the album isn’t worth a listen. I am saying that maybe before you check this out you only listen to Faction on XM and don’t talk to any Hipsters for a couple weeks.

“I have been listening to The Album Leaf – quite chill. Quite chill indeed.”

That’s what my friend had to say about listening to the new The Album Leaf record and I have to admit – that about covers it. The Album Leaf is a very chill band and A Chorus of Storytellers is a very chill album.

If you are not familiar with The Album Leaf, the best I can do to describe the music is to liken it to a movie score (not soundtrack, score) or an airline commercial. The music is better than that, much better, but those two things come to mind when I think about what The Album Leaf sounds like.

Although this album was recorded with a full band, The Album Leaf is a primarily an instrumental band producing songs layered with synthesizer blips and drones over percussion loops – meaning there is very little singing. Of the 11 songs on A Chorus of Storytellers, only four songs have singing. So if you are a person who needs to hear some human voice, look elsewhere.

The songs on A Chorus of Storytellers are mellow and beautiful. The melodies are quite (most of the time) and the percussion soft. There is nothing aggressive about this album at all.

I, for one, really like this album. The tunes flow in and out like a breeze and the layering of instruments (and keyboards effects) makes for an extremely pleasant listen. I particularly like the track “Summer Fog.” Contrary to the title, there may not be a more perfect song from driving to work in the early light of morning, through low-lying clouds, as the sun bounces off the snow-covered trees.

If all of this appeals to you then you will probably enjoy A Chorus of Storytellers. If you need a ton of energy and screeching vocals in you music you are going to hate this.

Los Campesinos! have released their second (possibly third) album and it is wicked. Romance is Boring was released January and it is chock full of nutty nuts that light up those indy receptors in our ear-tastebuds. Musicboxer’s Free Music Friday featured a song off of the album, “The Sea is a Good Place to Think of the Future,” and it is still the best thing this album has going for it. Unfortunately it lands later in the album but what precedes it is worth listening to as well. The easy review is if you liked that link off of Free Music Friday then you will appreciate this album.

There is a certain morbidity to this album that reminds me of the COTIcats photoshops from Garrison Dean’s most recent “It’s a Disaster!” column on Io9.com. Basically it is quite a lot of “my crazy girlfriend and death and yelling and I hate the ‘church’ and drowning after falling off of a pier” type of songs. But not any more than say, Pinkerton, really. And the music is definitely an art-rock-noise variant similar to Stars. Which I like a lot. And are made up of members of Broken Social Scene. And are all on the Canadian Label Arts & Crafts.

Really, the back end of this album, starting with “I Just Sighed. I Just Sighed, Just So You Know” after an odd coda of a 45 second track is where the meat is. Loud, noisy, messy pop rock goodness. So check it out. It isn’t perfect, but the whole thing is enjoyable to say the least.

Holy shit. This band rocks. Seriously.

The opening keyboards and simple drums had me thinking that Doo Rag had gotten back together and had picked up a violinist/guitarist… Alas, ‘twas not the case.

Spoon’s 7th album, Transference, kicked my ass, took my name, and kicked it again. From the cool open to the album, to the fantastic transition between ‘The Mystery Zone’ and ‘Who Makes Your Money’, the fookin hot groove of the latter, the lyrical and piano smack-down of ‘Written In Reverse’ – “I’m writin’ this to ya in reverse. Someone better call a hearse.”

F’n. Love It.

While listening to this album I was visited by a vision, an epiphany, an inspired thought, whatever. What if a metric by which an album was judged was simply how many of the songs could be made into a music video staring the Beastie Boys dressed up in their ’70’s cop outfits from “Sabotage?” I think Transference would be 10 out of 11 (“Goodnight Laura” might pull it off, but it would involve Mike D and Ad-Rock kissing by a tree by a lake at sunset in those bad-ass aviator sunglasses, and I don’t think the world is ready for that yet). Ok, “Out Go the Lights” might be close, but I think an introspective 4:36 in a coffee shop with different shots of the Beasties sipping coffee and reflecting on… whatever. In the cop outfits. Sweet.

Spoon!
Not in the face!