Feist enraptures on "The Reminder"

When Leslie Feist isn’t busy being an adorable songbird, she is busy making music. Feist is one of the many members of the Canadian super-group, Broken Social Scene, as well as a successful solo artist with two studio albums to her credit. 2004’s “Let it Die” was a critical success, giving Feist an identity outside of Broken Social Scene.

“The Reminder,” Feist’s follow-up to “Let it Die,” takes the singer’s vocal driven pop to the next level. “The Reminder” is a smooth, relaxed and joyous album that showcases Feist’s silky voice perfectly on almost every track.

Feist wastes no time opening “The Reminder”. “So Sorry” is a sultry ballad about confused lovers. It features acoustic strumming and some soft percussion, and really sets the tone for the rest of the album. If you aren’t melting by those last “tonight’s” then there is something wrong with you.

“I Feel It All” follows “So Sorry,” changing the pace a bit. This track is much more upbeat and whimsical, using a lot of piano, chimes and some hand claps for good measure. This is one of the best tracks on the album, and one of the better singles of the year.

“My Moon, My Man” completes a great three song span on “The Reminder.” Each of these are very solid singles, and if this album is a success, it will be on the back of these three songs.

“1, 2, 3, 4” is another great track on the album and uses a broad range of sounds to create a lighthearted love song. Banjo, horns, strings, backing vocals and finger snaps all combine to support Feist’s vocals without overwhelming them. Feist also shows her knack for writing compact lyrics that aren’t too heavy or too trivial, matching the mood of her songs. “Sweetheart bitterheart now I can tell you apart / Cozy and cold, put the horse before the cart / Those teenage hopes who have tears in their eyes / Too scared to own up to one little lie.”

If there is anything to complain about on “The Reminder” it’s that Feist reigns it in too many times. She’s at her best when her songs are carefree and fun. The first three tracks, “1, 2, 3, 4,” and “Sea Lion Woman” are all examples of this. Some of her sleepier tracks, “The Water,” “Honey Honey” and “How My Heart Behaves” are some of the weaker songs on the album. Luckily, Feist’s voice saves these and actually offers a change of pace that is understandable.

Silky, angelic, buttery, sexy. These are all words used to describe Feist’s voice, and you would be hard pressed to find someone to disagree. But Feist isn’t simply relying on her voice to sell records. Although the majority of her songs are about love, they remain so varied in sound that you’ll hardly notice. And by the time you’re done listening, you may be in love with her voice. “The Reminder” is a wonderful and gorgeous album that will strongly contend for album of the year come December.

How the Warriors are saving the NBA

The Golden State Warriors haven't been in the NBA playoffs in 12 years. A young Chris Webber and Latrell Sprewell were the leaders of that team. More than a decade later, after compiling a 9-1 record down the stretch and barely sneaking into the playoffs at 42-40, the Warriors have the heavily favored Mavericks down three games to one.

Heavily favored isn't the right term. Dallas won 67 games this season, having one of the best regular seasons in the history of the sport. The Mavs are stacked with talent, including MVP candidate Dirk Nowitzki. Despite the Warriors sweeping the season series with the Mavs, 3-0, few gave them a realistic chance to oust the West's top seed. There are still three more games to be played, two of those at Dallas. But the Warriors have outplayed the Mavericks in every way thus far. In doing so, the Warriors are saving the NBA.

Of the three major sports - baseball, football and basketball - basketball has to be third in terms of popularity. The TV ratings sag, especially during the long, drawn out playoffs. Even though the league has marketable stars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Tim Duncan, it is still struggling to keep pace with the NFL and MLB.

I don't think I am alone in saying this, the Mavs/Warriors series has been everything one would want in a sporting event. Last night I found myself cheering aloud as the Warriors refused to lose in front of their 20,000 strong home crowd. You could feel the electricity of the crowd, starved for more than ten years, as their team closed in on a historic upset. Whether these fans have been there all year long, or have hopped on the bandwagon, is irrelevant. If you lived in the Bay area, why would you not want to be a part of this?

Golden State toppling the Mavericks and advancing to the second round would be the best thing for the NBA. Golden State would become everybody's team. The Oracle Arena would become a place visiting teams dread to play in. Baron Davis would vault himself into stardom. Ugly memories of Stephen Jackson in the stands at Detroit would be forgotten, for a while at least. An upset of this magnitude (no eight seed has beaten a one seed in a best of seven series in the NBA) would no doubt grab peoples attention.

The Golden State Warriors would become an NBA team again.

You Love It

Is your teams draft pick going to be a bust?
Via ESPN

With the absurd pageant that is the NFL Draft looming this weekend, ESPN's Page 2 has come up with a comprehensive study of draft busts. I am talking 15 years of first-round picks, nine different positions and a very scientific approach. They found out that 53 percent of QB's are "busts," and they didn't include guys like Jeff George, Trent Dilfer and Kerry Collins. So Oakland, Cleveland, Detroit, or anyone else looking at Brady Quinn and JaMarcus Russell, beware - one of them is probably going to stink.

Russell Simmons wants slurs out of rap
Via Playlouder

This issue transcends the music world and with the whole Imus fiasco, has become a national concern. Simmons basically wants the n word, "ho" and "bitch" removed from the hip-hop lexicon. I understand these are harsh and even hateful words, but Simmons is treading on dangerous ground here. Next someone will want "fuck" or "kill" banned. As ugly as some words are, censorship is even uglier.

Schilling's bloody sock a bloody fake?
Via ESPN

Ever since Curt Schilling took the mound with a sutured ankle and blood-stained sock in 2004, conspiracy theorists have questioned its validity. This article is short and sweet, so I won't get into details here. But I do know that Bob Ryan of the "Boston Globe" said he has seen the sock in Cooperstown and the blood has oxidized. Someone isn't telling the truth here. Blood, paint or ketchup, Schilling gave at least 1-2 more years of his career, maybe more, to pitch in that post-season. If he did fake it to turn himself into a "legend" or something, whatever. The Red Sox still won the World Series.

Interpol details new album
Via Pitchfork

It's about damn time. "Antics" came out in 2004. Interpol hasn't toured at all, at least to my knowledge. What have they been doing? I had almost forgot they even existed. That said, I am extremely excited (and not bitter in the least) about their new album. With two solid releases under their belts, it will be interesting to see what these guys have in store for number 3.

Phillies about to win something, at least
Via Deadspin

The Phillies are 30 some-odd losses away from being the first sports franchise to lose 10,000 games. Anyone who argues that Boston or Chicago are the most tortured sports cities need to shut up. With the Phillies, Sixers and Eagles either breaking hearts or stinking it up every year, Philadelphia fans have it way worse than anyone. Plus, they booed Santa. Now that's an angry group of fans.

Rick Carlisle out as Pacers coach
Via ESPN

Dear Celtics, hire this guy ASAP.


Since there was very little video game news this past week, I just wanted to comment on how amazing the Halo 3 leaked video is. Just watch it. Terribly annoying song aside, it is truly a great watch.

NBA stories: the MVP, the draft and the playoffs

As another NBA season winds down, there are a few compelling storylines still going on. Tops among them are the MVP race, the upcoming draft and the exciting NBA playoffs. I decided to combine them all into one post. So on to Oden, Dirk, the playoffs and more.

MVP – Two man race?

The general consensus is that the MVP is coming down to two guys – Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks and reigning two-time MVP, Steve Nash of the Phoenix Suns. The NBA MVP is one of my favorite sports arguments, mainly because almost no one can agree on who should get it. This argument stems for the fact that “MVP” means a lot of different things to different people. I have come up with the three general categories of MVP’s to try and figure all this out.

1) The best player on the best team
This group tends to win out the most, barring a legendary season from an individual. This player has very good stats - usually not the best, but makes up for it by leading his team to a number one seed during the regular season. By this definition, Dirk should be MVP.

2) The guy with the best numbers
Usually loses to previous category, mainly because said player is an alpha-dog and his team is less than great. Kobe Bryant is the poster child for this MVP, putting up stupid numbers and carrying his team. Think Texas Rangers Alex Rodriguez.

3) The guy who, without him, the team would fall apart
A unique MVP candidate and one Steve Nash rode to back-to-back awards. This player is so unique that if he weren’t on the team, the team would be significantly affected. Would the Mavs and Lakers fall apart without Kobe or Dirk? Absolutely, but without Nash the Suns would be a lost team.

So which one is the right answer? Well it seems to change every year. It seems every season there some guy on a mediocre team who puts up great numbers but gets burned by the “well his team wasn’t that good, how valuable can he be?” I tend to lean towards that category, and in my mind Kobe is the most valuable player. I know I said this last season, but without Kobe scoring 50 points seemingly every night, the Lakers would be a lottery team. Kobe has no All-Stars to support him (unlike Nash and Dirk, who have numerous) and opponents know what is coming every single night - and still cannot stop him. 50+ points ten times, 31.6 points per game and over five rebounds and assists per speak for themselves.

Dirk is going to win, and Nash will probably come in second. I don’t keep my healthy man-crush on Dirk a secret, he is probably my favorite NBA player, and I will be happy to see him win. But to me, Kobe is the most valuable player in the NBA.

My ballot:
Kobe
Nash
Dirk
Duncan
Arenas

Oden/Durant sweepstakes

I have kept my mouth shut on the whole Oden/Durant argument for a few reasons. One, I wanted to watch them play more, specifically in the NCAA tournament, as I felt like I didn’t know enough about them. Another was that neither player had actually declared for the draft yet. Although a minor formality, now that both have expectedly declared, I feel better talking about them. Finally, I really wasn’t, and am still not, 100% sold on my choice. But here goes.

Greg Oden is a franchise player, an impact guy on defense and one who is still evolving offensively. He played with a broken right hand for a good portion of the season, so he is not only a warrior, but obviously ambidextrous. He was by far the best player on the floor in the national championship game and really flexed his muscle. He reminds me a lot of Emeka Okafor, there are a lot worse people to be compared to. Is he the next Ewing, Parrish or Russell? I highly doubt it. Oden also has a great demeanor, calm, cool and collected. I am in the camp that this is a boon, not a hindrance. Some argue that he “doesn’t get fired up” or “isn’t a team leader.” I have to disagree - just because a guy doesn’t pound his chest or slap the floor after a dunk, doesn’t mean he isn’t a leader. Give me a cool player over a hothead almost every time.

To me Oden will be something like 14-18 points, 10-12 rebounds, 1-2 blocks a night (with a number of altered shots, which they should really figure out how to make a stat for) and shoot in the high fifties from the field and a reliable 70-80 percent from the stripe. Can you build a team around this guy? Without a doubt. Oden’s defensive presence is undeniable and his offense has a high ceiling.

If the Celtics draft him and pair him with Al Jefferson, a post player with better offensive skills, Boston suddenly becomes a force in the East. Oden could also take pressure off Pau Gasol defensively in Memphis (assuming they don’t trade him) to create a lethal tag team there. Centers this talented don’t come around very often.

Kevin Durant is the fire to Greg Oden’s ice. Durant made me check when Texas was playing on TV and tune in, just to see if he would put up another 35 point/20 rebound game. He is lanky, can score from anywhere inside (and sometimes outside) the three-point line in a myriad of ways and has a knack for turning it on during crunch time. He was without a doubt the best player in the nation last season and was a man amongst boys.

Durant is drawing comparisons to the incomparable Kevin Garnett, a big man who has an unbelievable amount of tools on the offensive end, can pass well and plays solid defense. But can Durant save a franchise? I am not so sure.

My crystal ball looks something like this for Durant: 20-25 points, 8-10 rebounds, 3-4 assists and scattered steals and blocks. Gerald Wallace is a player that comes to mind when I think of Durant (and yes, that is two Charlotte Bobcats references). My big concern is Durant’s size; he seems too small to post defenders up and too big to take guys off the dribble. I see Durant getting pushed around by bigger players on offense and defense until he bulks up. Also, what position do you stick him at? Not the four, maybe the three? I don’t know – right now he seems like a prospect without a position, always a dangerous proposition. That being said, Durant has a bigger upside than Oden, if a few things go right.

1) Get on a team with a big man. Durant and Jefferson on the court at the same time is match-up nightmare for teams. You have to double Big Al and Durant is almost un-guardable by non centers/power forwards. On a team like the Bucks, with Villanueva/ Bogut down low and Durant roaming is a pretty scary thought.
2) Bulk up. Durant will be pushed around when playing defense for the first few seasons of his career. He should just look to Yao Ming for advice.
3) Get drafted by Minnesota. Durant/Garnett for president in 2008.

Final verdict: Oden. I became a huge believer in him during the Final Four. There were some dunks where he looked like vintage LSU Shaq - and it was scary. But honestly, I won’t be sad if the Celtics get Durant at number two. And David Stern, please freeze some ping pong balls so Boston doesn’t get jobbed again. Do it for Red, DJ and Tim Duncan, I beg you.

Let’s wrap this 1500+ word behemoth with some quick playoff predictions:

West

(1) Dallas over (8) Golden State in 4
I know the Warriors swept the season series, one of the games the Mavs didn’t try in. I know Nelson understands all the ins and outs of the Dallas game plan. I know the Warriors are hot and pumped about being in the playoffs. But they are in happy to be here mode and don’t have the muscle or stamina to hang with the Mavs.

(2) Phoenix over (7) Los Angeles in 5
Have to give the Lakers one win for the “Kobe just dropped 58 points” game that he will have against the Suns. Beyond that, the outcome looks pretty grim for the Lakers.

(6) Denver over (3) San Antonio in 7
If you can’t see me, it’s because I am way out on a limb on this one. The NBA is notorious for having very few upsets in the playoffs. But there is something about this Denver team that I like. Iverson and Carmello going for a combined 60 points a night? Marcus Camby playing a worn out/older Tim Duncan? Ginobili and Parker not looking like the players they were two years ago? Yeah, I am probably wrong here…

(5) Houston over (4) Utah in 5
Utah is playing like trash down the stretch, losing home court advantage in the first round, which is sad because I really like this team. Houston is cresting at the right time, with the ridiculous combo of T-Mac and Yao putting up monster numbers, a solid supporting cast of role-players and the best defense in the league? Sounds like a championship bound team to me. But Dallas and Phoenix may have something to say about that.

East
(1) Detroit over (8) Orlando in 5
No contest here really, experience and talent over youth. They may squeak out one win if Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson have unconscious nights at the same time.

(2) Cleveland over (7) Washington in 4
No Arenas in the playoffs is a true crime. There is no way Arenas lets LeBron whisper in his ear like he did last year. I am pretty sure Arenas would pants James or something if he tried that junk again.

(3) Toronto over (6) New Jersey in 6
Everyone’s upset special. But I am a believer in the Raps, Bosh is a great player and TJ Ford is a solid point guard. If Bargnani plays well, I look for the Raps to prevail in a tough series.

(5) Chicago over (4) Miami in 5
I don’t see the compelling match-up everyone else does here. This same Bulls team (minus Ben freaking Wallace) pushed a full-strength Miami to the limit last season. Wade is probably 60-75 percent and Shaq does not like playing against Wallace and company. I like the Bulls to win here and to come out of the East.

You Love It

Imus fired
Via ESPN

Don Imus was fired earlier this week for his inflammatory remarks toward the Rutgers women's basketball team. Days before, MSNBC pulled the plug on the TV simulcast for his radio show and sponsors had begun pulling out. This comes as somewhat a surprise, many thought a slap on the wrist and an honest apology would have been enough. Me, I think he should be fired, and props to CBS for having the guts to do the right thing at the cost of a profit. Joke or not, too many people get away with terribly racist remarks on public forums. By not punishing them, we are quietly condoning their actions.

Halo 3 - only 6+ months away!
Via Kotaku

Halo 3 can't come soon enough. This video, a "documentary" on the game, shows a ton of gameplay and even has a detailed diagram of one of the new maps. Everything simply looks better, more crisp and clean. Plus the new additions, the innuendo laden "man cannon", the bubble shield and the trip mine all look fantastically fun. This is going to sell a ton of 360's.

Lollapalooza unveils insane line-up
Via Pitchfork

Fancy rich people who can afford festival tickets, mark your calendars for August 3-5. Lollapalooza 2007, in Chicago, has revealed a pretty ridiculous assortment of bands. For $165 you can see the likes of: TV on the Radio, LCD Soundsystem, Daft Punk, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Interpol, Spoon, Iggy and the Stooges and Pearl Jam amongst many many others.

The next step in video games: emotion
Via Destructoid

Very good feature on D-toid about what video games have to do to stay alive for the foreseeable future. It runs kind of long, but makes a lot of good points about the stagnation in the industry. Plus, I love the anything that reps "Shadow of the Colossus."

Sportsmanship, shmortsmanship
Via Deadspin

57-1. That was the score of a Bridgewater State vs Newbury college baseball game. That's right, baseball. 57 runs. There are so many things wrong with this - it is truly absurd. Why didn't the coach pull every one of his starters after the score was say, 25-1? Even if he did, why didn't he tell his guys to not swing at anything at all and just end this. This game must have taken hours, embarrassed Newbury to no end and is one more nail in the coffin of sportsmanship today. Still, it's damn funny.

Pacman Jones suspended for entire 2007 NFL season, rain not in forecast
Via ESPN

Adam "Pacman" Jones was suspended for the upcoming 2007 NFL season after meeting with commissioner Roger Goodell. Jones was arrested multiple times in 2006, most notably in Las Vegas while attending the NBA All Star game. Jones' West Virginia Teammate, Chris Henry of the Cincinnati Bengals, received an 8-game suspension for similar breaches in conduct.

This is a step in the right direction for Goddell and the NFL. David Stern, NBA commissioner, runs that ship with an iron fist and is working hard to clean up its "image problem." While his methods may seem strict at times, he is truly trying to maintain an air of professionalism within his league.

When players like Tank Johnson and the entire Bengals team getting away with various crimes and misdemeanors with seemingly no consequences, it sets a bad example for America's most popular sport. The entire season is severe, but it sets an important precedent to others.


I am going to leave with one last link. This isn't so much news as it is great. This is Feist's new video for the song "1,2,3,4" off her new album "The Reminder", due in May. I just got into Feist and I am digging her new album, but this video puts it over the top for me. If you don't have a huge crush on Feist, male or female, after watching this video, then you sir/madam are an idiot.

Baseball Stadium Music

A lot of things happen in a baseball game. And while I believe that those events are exciting themselves, sometimes they need a little boost. That’s where stadium music comes in. Although I am against almost all forms of stadium noise, (basketball being the worst) baseball uses music very well.

While watching a game the other day (probably Red Sox/Rangers) and hearing Pantera’s “Walk” when a player was issued four balls I was inspired - inspired by that deft usage of music in a sports situation.

Baseball is also home to the best use of music in sports – the closer’s song. Is there anything more menacing than Trevor Hoffman jogging to the mound to AC/DC’s “Hells Bells?” No other sport lets players choose music they enter to (other than pro wrestling) and, I personally, am a huge fan of it.

As dumb as I think the whole “We Will Rock You” and “Rock and Roll Part 2” stadium anthems have become, I would love to choose the music that played when I walked up to bat or out to the mound to close out a game. That was the reason I loved “NFL 2K5” for the Xbox. You could upload songs off CDs and set them to play during almost any game situation. I spent hours fine tuning which parts of songs were appropriate for which situation. Andrew WK’s “Ready to Die?” after a sack? Oh hell yes. MC5’s “Kick Out the Jams” after a first down? You know it.

So that particular Pantera moment, along with being a music and baseball dork, brought me here. A collection of songs I would choose for a number of baseball situations. I also have created an iTunes playlist that you can check by searching for any of the artists and selecting "most recent iMixes", it should be there under "Baseball Stadium Music", if you want to hear samples of the songs.

Rally anytime after the 7th inning
Keys here are songs with a great chorus and the ability to pump up the crowd and players. Being able to sing along is a bonus, not a necessity.

Klaxons – “It’s Not Over Yet”
I’ll start off with a newer song, but one I think is perfect for this situation. At about the 50 second mark you’ll hear why, very sing-along-able, catchy and fitting for the moment.

Andrew WK – “Get Ready to Die”
An old “NFL 2K5” favorite of mine and here’s why:
“You better get ready to run, cause here we coooooome/You better get ready to die/Get ready to die!”
Maybe a little on the violent side for the kids, but there’s one thing I know - Andrew WK never gives up.

Iron Maiden – “Run to the Hills”
Sometimes the most obvious choice is the right one. Bonus points if the Cleveland Indians used this.

Dragonforce – “Through the Fire and the Flames”
At seven minutes it’s hard to pick one blurb of this song that is the most adrenaline ridden. I would probably just play this song throughout the bottom of the 9th inning.

Closer entrance music
Intimidation is the story here. The song has to strike fear into hitter’s hearts. When it comes on, the crowd knows who’s coming into the game.

Wolf Eyes – “Black Vomit”
The iTunes sample doesn’t do this song or group justice. This 8-minute trip to Hell is one of the most frightening songs ever created. I would demand my closer walk to the mound and until the song reached at least the 3:18 mark. I would also demand total silence from the crowd for added effect. Honestly, your closer could be Big Bird and if he came out to this song, with a totally silent crowd, the away team would have no shot. None. They’d be utterly mortified. Just listen to the iTunes sample of “Stabbed in the Face” for a taste of what I’m talking about here.

Slayer – “Raining Blood”
I am shocked no one has used this yet. The first minute, with the rain storm intro followed by the insane guitar/drums, is so perfect for a closer.

Radiohead – “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”
Haunting song - intimidating in a different way, but great nonetheless.

Star Pitcher gets two strikes on a batter/K’s a hitter
Anticipation is the important ingredient here. You want the fans on their feet on two-strike counts, anticipating the big strikeout, and then the cheer when the pitcher gets it.

Queens of the Stone Age – “You Think I Ain't Worth a Dollar…”
The moments of silence right at the two minute mark into the “Oh!” would be perfect but the intro is great as well, starting off quiet and then exploding. Of course, iTunes is missing this song on that album.

Michael Jackson – “Beat It”
This would be for the post-strikeout and I really wanted an MJ song in this list. I find this one not only funny and appropriate, but embarrassing for the hitter when thousands of drunken fans are yelling “Beat it!” at you.

Megadeth – “Take No Prisoners”
I imagine the sound cutting out right before the line “Take no sh*t!” and fans filling it in, that makes me happy.

Batters to the plate
These are songs I would personally like to hear before I got to the plate. I had an iTunes playlist called “Back from the Dead”, songs that - if I was dead and in the ground - may resurrect me. Needless to say, they’d pump me up.

Lightning Bolt – “Assassins”
This song is so extreme I wouldn’t even care if the whole stadium would hate it. I could be facing Randy Johnson with a toothpick, no batting helmet, in my underwear and this song would get me in the box, it’s that great.

The Sword – “Freya”
The badass factor is off the charts here. Mix shredding guitars, pounding drums and a Norse theme and I turn into Ted Williams.

Depeche Mode – “Just Can’t Get Enough”
What can I say, the Mode is awesome.

TV On The Radio – “Wolf Like Me”
If there was a Hall of Fame for pump-up songs, this would be a first ballot entry. The last 1:45 is otherworldly.

Assorted others
These are situations that either a) don’t really deserve songs or b) don’t happen all that often. But I still found some gems that had to be shared.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Tick”
Used for opposing manager timeouts or pitchers taking too long. For some reason I think this would really get under their skin.

The Knife – “Heartbeats”
I would use this for a fan favorite who isn’t very good, but loveable anyway - some quirky reliever or pinch hitter. And yes, in my perfect world role players get songs too.

Van Halen – “Jump”
This may or may not already be used in stadiums, either way I would reserve this for sparkling defensive plays - dives for line drives, robbing home runs, that sort of thing. It’s and obvious choice, but still great.

Run DMC – “You Talk too Much”
The opening line “Shut up! You talk too much” would be great for a manager who argues too much or a hitter who whines to umps excessively.

Motley Crue – “Kickstart My Heart”
This is great for when the home manager is getting in a heated argument with the home plate ump and will be invariably thrown out of the game. Lou Pinella’s theme song.

N.W.A. – “Straight Outta Compton”
If there is a better song for a baseball brawl, I haven’t heard it.

Bright Eyes’ “Cassadaga” charms with country feel

Conor Oberst, the man behind Bright Eyes, is a true prodigy in an industry full of them. First recording at the ripe age of 14, Oberst has since released seven full length albums for the better part of ten years, garnering hoards of devoted fans along the way with his brand of guitar folk/pop music.

“Cassadaga” is Oberst’s 2007 offering and is an evolution in his sound and style. That style, emotionally charged guitar ballads with a folk influence, has taken on a strong country twang on “Cassadaga”, and it works very well.

The album gets its name from a community in Florida, known for its belief in spiritualism and mysticism, where Oberst and company spent some time while assembling “Cassadaga” over the course of a year.

Oberst does a great job of painting a picture of this place on the album, utilizing acoustic guitars, haunting back-up vocals and whimsical string arrangements to create a very “old world” feel.

The first single off of “Cassadaga” is “Four Winds”, a rollicking fiddle-driven track full of the Midwest charm Oberst is known for. But beneath the acoustic strumming and catchiness of Oberst’s vocals, lie some politically charged lyrics.

Lyrics are where Oberst stumbles on “Cassadaga.” At points, he can be clever and humorous. At others, the lyrics come off as heavy handed and cliché. “Four Winds” features the unevenness of Oberst’s writing. “The Bible's blind, the Torah's deaf, the Qu'ran's mute/If you burn them all together you get close to the truth still” is a not-so-subtle condemnation on organized religion that is a little too obvious.

But later he comes up with this gem: “All the way to Cassadaga to commune with the dead/They said, ‘You'd better look alive.’” These two lines are what prevent a very good album from becoming a great one.

“Hot Knives” is one of the best cuts on “Cassadaga” and exemplifies Oberst’s knack for catchy songwriting. This song blends all the sounds on “Cassadaga” - acoustic guitar, piano, strings and Oberst’s ghostly voice – into one gorgeous, sprawling track.

The first half of “Cassadaga” is definitely the stronger half. The “spiritualism” theme is felt a lot more on the first six or seven songs and the songs have a healthy range of sounds. “Four Winds” and “Hot Knives” are the more “rock” songs, while “Make a Plan to Love Me” and “Soul Singer in a Session Band” are more folk and country aligned ballads.

“I Must Belong Somewhere” is a prime example of Oberst over-thinking his songwriting. He gives the listener tons of great small-town imagery – “Leave the garden tools in that rusted shed…”/“Leave the autumn leaves in their swimming pool…”/“Leave the epic poem on its yellowed page…” But then feels the need to bookend them with social commentary - “Leave the widower in his private hell…” / “Leave the poor black child in his crumbling school today…” / “Leave the hawks of war in their capitol…” What could have been a great, simple, whimsical song, turned into a song about the ills of the world today.

There’s a lot to like about “Cassadaga.” Oberst merges many different sounds – country, pop, rock and folk – into a likeable package that is easy to listen to. While the lyrics waver from witty to silly, it is not hard to overlook the bad for the good.

Long-time Bright Eyes fans will pick this up on principle alone and should find it a reassuring step forward in the bands sound. Newcomers to the band should see “Cassadaga” as a good reason to explore Oberst’s past work.

“Cassadaga” is a solid work of folk/country/pop music. Anyone who enjoys good songwriting, expansive guitar ballads and up-tempo country rock songs will find something to love on “Cassadaga.”

The Locust's "New Erections" falls limp

I feel like I need to say something about this band on personal level before I get to the review. The Locust are one of my favorite bands. I have seen them many times live and loved every show. I own all their albums and listened to them to death. I have often stood up against people who say “they’re just noise, any idiot could do that” or “how can you listen to this?” The Locust’s new album is a big disappointment and everything I loved about this band is, at best, a shadow on this record.

The Locust have been one of the most divisive bands in recent memory. I cannot think of a band more people love and respect, and a band even more people absolutely hate and discount completely.

Granted, their sound is very different, full of heavily distorted guitars, strange synth effects, machine-gun drums and screeching vocals. The bands sound can best be described by their name, The Locust really do sound like a plague of locusts.

“New Erections” is the bands fifth full length in their 13 year existence. “New Erections” is somewhat of a departure from the bands previous albums, in sound as well as structure.

Instead of the bombastic 30 seconds to one minute long tracks seen in previous albums, “Plague Soundscapes” and the bands self titled release, The Locust have expanded their attention spans and created 11 songs ranging from one minute all the way up to four minutes.

The band has explored longer tracks before, on the excellent “Safety Second, Body Last” there were only two tracks, one at four minutes and one at six minutes. There were distinct songs in each “movement” that made the tracks flow very well as two long pieces. “New Erections” on the other hand, falls flat on its face. The songs are way too long and drawn out, even the ones that are two minutes.

But it’s not only structure that “New Erections” fails at. The bands sound has changed distinctly since “Safety Second, Body Last.” The lyrics are much more discernable now, revealing their inherent goofiness and over the top, dramatic nature. On the first track, “AOTKPTA”, the line “Is this the dumpster of your dreams?” makes me cringe. On previous Locust records the lyrics weren’t important at all, they were garbled and furious. Trying to understand them was a foolish endeavor and reading them still gave the listener no insight into what they meant. On “New Erections” the lyrics are loud and clear, which is a bad thing.

The Locust have also adopted a more droning sound, which they used sparingly on previous albums to create a lull before the storm. “New Erections” slogs on, despite being only 23 minutes long. It seems as though the band said “screw it, you think we can’t make long songs?” and went out and made some pseudo doom metal songs.

There are a few bright spots on “New Erections” though. “Hot Tubs Full of Brand New Fuel” sounds like vintage Locust, complete with absurdly fast drumming, alternating screaming vocals and the knowledge of when to slow it down before exploding. “Book of Bot” picks up as it goes on, and when it does so, it is vicious. But again it fails as a full four minute song. If this track were divided into five or six mini tracks, it would have been much better. The last minute and a half drones on and on, for seemingly no reason.

Maybe The Locust have grown up. Who can blame a band that is almost 15 years old? Or maybe I’ve grown up. But get one thing straight, this is no longer the band that wanted to “change the way people look at music or maybe just destroy it in general”, as singer Justin Pearson once said. “New Erections” is a big disappointment to Locust fans and adds to the ammo of Locust detractors. Hopefully this won’t be the last we’ve heard from this band.