Review: Blitzen Trapper - Wild Mountain Nation:

Upon first listen they certainly borrowed heavily from '60s and '70s rock and pop. If only they had stayed there and not tried to be 'weird' or 'quirky'.

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Review: Articles of Faith - Complete Discography

Articles of Faith - Complete Discography, Vol. 1 1981-1983: Upon first listen this twenty track compilation shows a lot of range for only spanning two years. From noise punk to an acoustic guitar, it's all here and works well. I'm looking forward to volume two.

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Article of Faith - Complete Discography, Vol. 2 1983-1985: Upon first listen they show off some of their range, but ultimately it's louder, faster and angrier. And did I mention better? I should have.

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Review: 1990s - Cookies:

Upon first listen it's kind of hard not to liken them to the Rolling Stones or Hives, but way more relaxed.

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Review: Talking Heads - Remain in Light:

Upon first listen it's a bit more grandiose arrangement-wise than previous albums, but it works. If they never made another album, this would be their pinnacle.

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Review: Sunny Day is Glasgow - A Scribble Mural Comic Journal:

Upon first listen if sunny days sound this bad, I would hate to hear a rainy one.

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Review: Still Life - Madness and the Gackle:

Upon first listen it possesses the two most important aspects of a good screamo album: sincerity and passion. Still, I can only take so much screamo which is why this won't likely get much play.

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Review: Keely Smith - The Essential Capitol Collection:

Upon first listen, this one is twenty seven tracks! I guess if you're a Keely Smith fan that's good, but for the rest of us would-be-casual fans it's too much.

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Review: Stars - In Our Bedroom After The War:

Upon first listen I almost turned it off due to the obscene amounts of bass. When I finally got into it about halfway through, I was a bit disappointed. But that closing song? Wow. Makes me want to listen to it all over again.

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Review: Louis Prima - Jump, Jive An' Wail- The Essential Louis Prima:

Upon first listen it's twenty six tracks. I can barely listen to twenty six tracks of anyone, nevermind Louis Prima. Cut it down to ten and I might pay attention.

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Review: Pharoahe Monch - Desire:

Upon first listen it wasn't as good as I was expecting, but it was adequate. I'll have to revisit to see what all the fuss was about.

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Review: Okkervil River - The Stage Names:

Upon first listen I can't believe how much I liked this record. I thought Black Sheep Boy was alright, so I didn't have a whole lot of expectations, but it easily exceeded them. A bit more upbeat, a bit more polished, a hell of a lot better.

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Review: Figurines - When The Deer Wore Blue:

Upon first listen they weren't kidding when they said they were going California pop.

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Review: Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam:

Upon first listen this is likely their most straight forward and most accesible album, sure to confuse fans of their last two.

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Review: No Age - Weirdo Rippers:

Upon first listen this is certainly one of the most disjointed and uncohesive albums I've ever listened to. It's almost as if they put all the music and vocals into a computer and layered unassociated vocals on top of a drum track from a fast song and a guitar line from a pop song. If that makes any sense.

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Review: Talib Kweli - Ear Drum:

Upon first listen it's textbook beat and hook hip-hop. Nothing to write home about, nothing to invest in.

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Review: Lucky Soul - The Great Unwanted:

Upon first listen this band brings out the '50s Motown and introduces it to the 21st century to mixed results. It has its moments, but about half way in, the novelty has worn itself thin.

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Review: Los Campesinos! - Sticking Fingers Into Sockets:

Upon first listen I know it's cliche to compare bands, but this really is like Architecture in Helsinki done extremely well. Catchy without being cheesy and quirky without being annoying.

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Review: Liars - Liars:

Upon first listen a lot has been made about how this isn't a concept album. A lot hasn't been made about how great the album is aside from that fact, because it is a really great record.

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Review: Jason Isbell - Sirens of the Ditch:

Upon first listen it's the standard big production, singer-songwriter type of album you've come to expect in a pro tools era of music. Still, you could worse.

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