Fresh Tracks

Wednesday, 16 December 2009 21:54

This month, a couple of solo artists show us what they're made of. 

By Curt Devine

John Mayer: Battle Studies
Columbia
Three Stars

The world knows John Mayer has had his share of celebrity drama. Although his flings with starlets Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Aniston and others may be seen as glamorous, his new album reveals them to be more like ruthless battlefields.

Battle Studies is Mayer’s examination of relationships—what brings people together and pushes them apart. With song titles like “Heartbreak Warfare” and “War of My Life,” these tracks are not so much love songs as they are songs about love. “Assassin” may be the album’s most creative work, where cryptic percussion backs up Mayer’s crooning vocals and a lofty guitar solo. He sings, “I was a killer, was the best they’d ever seen. I’d steal your heart before you ever heard a thing.”

Although the album examines the depths of romance and communication, many tracks have lighter, mellow tones, such as “Half of My Heart,” marked by a catchy duet with Taylor Swift. This album may not instantly impress as much as Continuum, but it shows Mayer has earned his spotlight and is not giving it up anytime soon.

Download: “Assassin”

Wale: Attention Deficit
Allido/Interscope Records
Four Stars

Breaking into the big-time after years of minor mix tapes and guest appearances, Wale has turned heads across genres lines with his debut album Attention Deficit. He may be a newcomer to MTV and the iTunes homepage, but he raps with the confidence and wit of most hip-hop veterans.

Rooted in D.C.’s go-go scene, Olubowale Victor Akintimehin (conveniently shortened to Wale) blends soulful, throwback flows with the produced hooks that dominate radio waves today. “Chillin” shows his pop-sensibility with cheeky rhymes and a chorus carried by Lady Gaga’s polished vocals. “Triumph,” on the other hand, demonstrates how his street aggression hasn’t dulled with newly garnered attention.

Although most would assume Wale is ready to bask in the glory of his celebrity status, on “Center of Attention” he confesses, “I wouldn't wish fame on my enemy. Paparazzi's like a lifetime sentencing.” Regardless of his views on pop culture, Wale can rest knowing his ambitions have paid off.

Download: “Triumph”

Julian Casablancas: Phrazes for the Young
RCA/Jive Label Group
Four Stars

Bands come and go, but with the decline of The Strokes, it was just a matter of time before fashionista frontman Julian Casablancas released an album of his own. As an amalgam of ’80s electronics and new-wave rock, Phrazes for the Young is a solo success.

While Casablancas croons with the same vocal distortion that defined The Strokes, his melodies have taken a major leap forward. “11th Dimension” may be the best summary of the release as a whole. It’s both dark and cheerful—two tones most songwriters cannot successfully mix. This may be telling of Casablancas’ life so far. He grew up attending boarding schools away from his divorced parents, but became a trendsetting rock-star in his early 20s. Therefore it makes sense his music is both gloomy and fun.

Some of the songs unexpectedly branch into other genres, such as “Ludlow St.,” which sounds like a folk song from any Saddle Creek album. If some of the distortion were taken away, “Out of the Blue” could be played on national pop radio. This release merits more than one listen.

Download: “11th Dimension”

LOCAL CD REVIEW

Paint Me Irrational: Never Be The Same
5 stars

I like to spread Gainesville’s music around in Florida. My iPod is my sidekick, our mission simple: Helping others listen to good music. From Miami to Talla-nasty, we’ve been getting the job done for a couple of years now. Still, I’m constantly amazed that good music is routinely produced every day by local bands who love music enough to just try to make an EP, a CD— sometimes even just a MySpace page. Then, about twice a year, a CD comes to me for review that goes above and beyond expectations.

Never Be The Same is that local album of 2009. The first time I listened to it, all I could think was “These guys can’t be local.” I went to their MySpace and checked; nope, definitely Gainesville. Okay, what label are these guys on … oh, unsigned. Well, hmm. Is a local band supposed to be this good? This polished? Are they allowed to throw in a clever piano melody in “Every Empty Inch” or have instantly memorable lyrics in “Memory is for Old People?” Someone sign this band already!

Paint Me Irrational’s sound is easy to describe: Think Saves the Day (“In Reverie” era) meets Format with a twist of All American Rejects thrown in with piano interspersions. “Category 5” exemplifies this formula with the poppy vocals, darker undertones and overall catchiness of the song. This pattern flows throughout the EP as songs move along the spectrum of what this band can do, like in the eerie “Letterbox.” What makes them memorable is that their sound, while comparable to other bands, is distinctly their sound—they made something unique, something entirely “Paint Me Irrational,” and that’s hard to do. I’ve been reviewing albums for two and a half years now, and here it is, Gainesville: The first local album I’m giving 5 stars.

-–Lindsay Smith