Medeski Martin & Wood – Radiolarians 1 (2008 Indirecto)

File under: “Milking it.”

Diehard fans might not think of NYC-based avant-garde jazz trio Medeski Martin & Wood as “formulaic,” but think about it this way: they’ve been around for almost 20 years, and despite a few notable stylistic revisions, the band has been at least somewhat avant-garde and experimental since their inception. The Radiolarians series, on the surface, sounds like no exception. However, the band attempt to justify the project by explaining that they came up with the songs, toured on them and  let them naturally evolve, THEN recorded them, which is supposed to be fundamentally different from the typical recording process. Ooooh. Sounds that way.

Okay, I admit: some of the songs are a little more “organic” and freeform than their past efforts, but considering the nature of their music, that could have easily happened anyway. In fact, that whole first paragraph was probably way too harsh. MMW are some of the best performers I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing, and their technical proficiency and vibe continues to impress me. Radiolarians 1 proves that they still have the grooves as well as the fire that makes them stand out. “Professor Nohair” is a throwback to their original acoustic piano trio roots, while “Reliquary” sees them exploring and branching off from the “electric Davis” sound with which they experimented on Louder Now, their 2nd collaboration with guitarist John Scofield. On “Fire God,” Billy Martin sounds more like a traditional jazz drummer than he ever has. Yet, as with most MMW releases, nothing gold can stay, and they often revert back to their amorphous, noisy, free-jazz-fusion and lose me within a minute or so. It is this flaw as well as the uneven pacing of the album that keeps Radiolarians 1 from making its intended impact as a write-tour-record album.

Overall: 6.5/10

Partyboobytrap – Partyboobytrap (2008)

Will Kowall (a.k.a. Virtue) and Danny Joseph (a.k.a. Exquisite Corpse) are not your typical rap visionaries. In today’s hip-hop landscape, where the Lil Waynes and Soulja Boys tower over countless, equally inane imitators, Partyboobytrap are trying to make some noise and bring the established order down from the bottom up.

Where other artists emphasize the money, the power and the fame, Partyboobytrap runs with a collective of Boston artists known as Fameless Fam, a motley crew of hip-hop and electro kids who spread the gospel of fun and original music for free. It seems as though modesty is the new black. To this end, Partyboobytrap’s debut digital full-length is an impressive way to kick things off.

The record begins with a upright bass groove that would make A Tribe Called Quest proud. Virtue bursts in and immediately defines his own personality, with a distinctive voice and understated lyrical prowess to be explored throughout the rest of the album. My initial comparison to Aesop Rock still seems justified, but he sets himself apart more often than not. The guest verse from Invisible Inc. mouthpiece George Watsky gets me every time, just because…well, shit, the kid’s good.

 Instrumental flourishes and the occasional verse from co-collaborator Exquisite Corpse provide a raw, organic feel to some already-outstanding samples. The underlying intention is to make fun, upbeat hip-hop and party jams, but they’re not afraid to experiment and have a little fun with it. “#184″ is probably my favorite cut from a production standpoint, as it features a punchy live drum track against a sample from one of my favorite songs – Bright Eyes’ “Lover I Don’t Have To Love.” “Aquafina Silhowet” is comparatively simple, but also impressive for marrying a UK grime tempo with an old-school feel (or at least trying to). But nobody’s perfect. “Boylston Anthem” is less than anthemic; it plays like a hyperextended inside joke set over a generic contemporary hip-pop beat. Virtue lyrically captures the feel of downtown Boston, but the guest verse from one “Papa Bakes” sends the imagery way off course. The acoustic remix of “I Don’t Know” is noticeably the misfit on the album, but if nothing else, I’m interested in hearing the original.

Partyboobytrap’s strongest point is their message. Behind all the wordplay, the duo have something to say, and that’s commendable in and of itself. “Wassail” laments the commercialized state of hip-hop: uninspired MCs who dumb their music down for bigger audiences at the expense of artistic integrity. On the humorous side of things, “You and Me; the Bitch” echoes Common’s 1994 single, “I Used To Love H.E.R.” Updated for 2008, it’s what any young, white Emerson College sophomores would sing about: a “sad song about weed” under the clever disguise of a relationship, without even dropping the name Mary Jane! I suppose the refrain, “You leave me breathless,” should have given it away.

Virtue puts it best: “Every human can relate to movement: it don’t matter where you’re from, we all clap to music.”

Overall: 7.5/10

Download the album for free here; visit the official site to make a donation.

Weezer – Red Album [Deluxe Edition] (2008 Geffen)

I’ve actually had this album since the day it came out – one of the few I actually bought this year. So why did I wait so long to write it up? Probably because I wanted to forget most of it and forget my midnight trip to Bullmoose ever happened.

Well, wait. This album is really only half bad. It may not even be their worst, but the way Weezer has evolved, it was never bound to be their best. This evolution has some positives – the contributions in singing and songwriting from the other three members, as often as they fall flat, are a bold and commendable departure from the perception of “Rivers Cuomo and the Weezers” we all know. Not to mention, the sheer scope and ambition of some songs, like the epic “The Greatest Man That Ever Lived (Variations On A Shaker Hymn).” This same bombastic approach, however, backfires on “Dreamin’,” which starts out with a promising pop-rock front end and eventually degrades into a steady build that leads only to disappointment.

Of course, by now we’re all familiar with the singles from this album, “Pork and Beans” and “Troublemaker,” and rightfully so. They’re great pop songs and both great examples of why we loved old Weezer in the first place and why we still tolerate new Weezer. But for the most part, they’ve put their best foot forward. “Heart Songs” is strangely likeable, but stale cheese no matter how you slice it, and “Everybody Get Dangerous” is the evil twin to “Beverly Hills” (as though it could have gotten worse).

The album’s biggest offense is the deluxe tracks. They’re not bad – just the opposite; they’re leaps and bounds better than half of the official tracklist. “Miss Sweeney” is the best song Weezer has released in 10 years, yet somehow, it was excluded. A crime against humanity if there ever was one.

Overall: 3.5/10

She & Him – Volume One (2008 Merge)

Goddamn. Zooey Deschanel is so adorable.

There, now it’s out of the way.

What a surprisingly delightful album this is. It’s another viable entry into that retro-pop trend of this past year, but wrapped in an unassuming package from a few unlikely sources: first off, Zooey is a fine singer who holds her own in the idioms of alt-country, rock ‘n’ roll and lounge jazz. Usually, these three styles shouldn’t coalesce quite so nicely on a single record, but thanks to the production of indie mainstay M. Ward as well as mixing and arrangement by frequent Bright Eyes collaborator Mike Mogis, the record has a perfectly understated feel that allows Deschanel’s folksy charm to shine through regardless of the style. Part of this charm (as well as the understatement that complements it) is the lack of polish throughout the tracks. Deschanel isn’t pitch-perfect, but she more than compensates in her authenticity: she absolutely sells every word. Don’t believe me? You may wince at parts of “I Was Made For You,” but you’ll end up smiling regardless. Many of the instrumental contributions, despite their sometimes-sparse arrangements, lack the sheen of a typical big-budget record and remind you that you’re simply listening to good music, which is a refreshing deviation from the “actress-cum-singer” move. Writing your own songs helps, too – “Change Is Hard,” “Sentimental Heart” and “Black Hole” especially showcase Deschanel’s prowess as exploited by the talented M. Ward.

Looking forward to Volume Two.

Overall: 8/10

Fall Out Boy – Folie à Deux (2008 Island/Fueled By Ramen/Decaydance)

Until shortly before this record came out, I had previously only regarded Fall Out Boy as a run-of-the-mill pop-punk band who had found themselves thrust into the spotlight through a series of opportune circumstances. I thought they would be replaced by another generic, flavor-of-the-month imitator and wouldn’t have to worry as much about fulfilling the musical expectations set upon them by the masses, while also being directly in the public eye. Marrying Ashlee Simpson does that to you. 

But anyone with a TV, radio or computer knows how ridiculously popular Fall Out Boy is, and so do Fall Out Boy. They’re admittedly far-removed from the Take This To Your Grave days, as though their last two albums weren’t any obvious indication, but Folie à Deux is their latest step away from their rock ‘n’ roll roots as they stride brazenly into the pop paradigm.

But somehow, this isn’t an entirely ostentatious showing of big-budget production values and self-indulgent pop songcraft, and that’s exactly why it’s as strong of an album as it is. Fall Out Boy’s self-awareness is their saving grace. They’ve successfully made the big, huge, mainstream-friendly record their fans (and label) want them to make, but also one that caters to their inner pop-punk yearnings and is musically sound. Not too adventurous, as can be expected, but they know how to write a fine pop song and please their fans. The added instrumentation of horns and strings, as well as the intricate layering of vocals, complement the songs on which they’re employed rather than rendering them overwrought and ridiculous. Patrick Stump’s voice still drives me up a wall, and it goes all sorts of over the top on Folie à Deux, but it matches the reputation that his band carries – you may not like them, but you’re going to hear about them wherever you go.

This is not to say that I’ve submitted to their reign of terror. I am not a fan of Fall Out Boy or any of their recorded works, and their latest album is no exception. I’m not proud to have them scrobbled in my library on last.fm but I am glad I gave them a fair shot before dismissing them this time. On the bright side, I didn’t even squirm in discomfort. “Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On A Bad Bet” is actually pretty good, along with “She’s My Winona” and select parts of a handful of others. The biggest disappointment is how badly the guest appearances fall flat – Elvis Costello sounds strained and out of sorts, Debbie Harry is understated, and Lil Wayne blends so much into “Tiffany Blews” that I had to listen again (much to my chagrin). In any case, Fall Out Boy has created in Folie à Deux the record they know they’ll soon be able to convincingly rock in an arena near you.

Overall: 5.5

Vallon – Vices EP (2008)

Man, I remember when Vallon was Jimmy, Adam, Cyle, Scott and Mike. Then Dave replaced Mike, Nick replaced Scott, Austin replaced Nick, Mark replaced Dave, Max replaced Adam…anyway, now it’s pretty much a whole new Vallon, and they want you to know it.

The North Shore quintet’s previous EP, For Safe Keeping, was certainly heavy, but Vices sees this new incarnation of Vallon stop pussyfooting around with that “metalcore” crap and get straight to the metal. They employ not only brutal riffs, but blazing sweeps, deep growls and pummeling double-kick. Jimmy’s voice has not only taken on a new range (a Killswitch-Engage-esque roar), but it’s improved in all areas. His singing is still nothing new melodically, but technically better and more gripping than ever. I don’t know how much more I can talk about this record, considering it’s one of many in an increasingly-saturated genre. Homogeneity aside, Vallon has shown remarkable effort with their latest release (free of charge, I might add) and I think it’s only a matter of time before they’re noticed on a huge level.

Overall: 8/10

Download Vices for free here