The Fiery Furnaces I’m Going Away Thrill Jockey out July 21st [82] [Rating Scale] 8.2 out of 10 stars I’m going to level with you here: I haven’t heard much by The Fiery Furnaces. To be precise, I’ve listened to their fifth album, Bitter Tea, once or twice, and that was enough. If you’re like me – someone who appreciates a solid tune that has some semblance of a melody and structure; someone who, without fail, skips “Revolution 9” in favour of the less grating sound of “Good Night” – Bitter... Read Full Story

If one were to look at one positive thing that has come of Michael Jackson’s death, I know it’s terrible to say, but the most obvious would have to be the way the entire music community has come together to show their gratitude to the late King of Pop. Some good tributes, others… not so good. Regardless, I can’t recall when the last time was I saw such an outpouring of love, admiration, and mourning. The dearly departed King of Pop would definitely not be disappointed with this tribute. E... Read Full Story

It’s really not fair for me to write this review because “The Seed 2.0″ probably ranks in my top twenty-five all-time favorite songs. It’s really hard to mess up a track with such an amazing hook. “The Seed 3.0″ is a nice little remix. It’s slightly jock jam-esque, especially with the intermittent “WOWW” voice. Not a big deal though. The added instrumentals and beats spice up The Seed 2.0. A little clubbier, “3.0″ isn’t an upgrade, but definitely a new... Read Full Story

I immediately disliked this track simply because of the hook. Taking the most annoying part of Keri Hilson’s “Turning me On” (the half moan/half wail Keri subjects us to) was a bad move on MSTRKRFT’s part. The best part of “Turning me On” is the combination of Keri’s semi-monotonous chant and the edgy backbeats- at least in my humble opinion. Take those two factors out, and it’s not a play-worthy track. With that being said, I respect that MSTRKRFT is trying on new hats and doing some mor... Read Full Story

I’ll be honest and say that I was beginning to lose faith in Wale… all this hype surrounding him, “Best mixtape of ’08, etc. etc.”… Yet what I’ve been hearing lately has been, well, kind-of weak. But let me just stop right here and stick my foot in my mouth. “Um Rica” is a great track. For starters, it’s a refreshing sample (I’m a sucker for foreign artists being sampled, I’ll admit it). There’s something about Wale’s rhythmic free styling, combined with the Somalian music t... Read Full Story

Luis: It’s baaaaack Hello you Pretty Much Amazing addicts. It’s Will from the less glamorous-and-famous little blog known as We All Want Someone To Shout For. I want to personally apologize for the delay on the Arctic Monkeys b-sides and rarities project. I have been so busy working 3 different part time jobs, as well as maintaining my own site and some sense of a personal life. How about we get back into the swing of things? I owe Luis an apology for how overdue this post is. However,... Read Full Story

The Gossip Music For Men Columbia out October 6th [77] [Rating Scale] 7.7 out of 10 stars It seems to me there are a few mandatory things that are always mentioned in a Gossip review, so let’s get them out of the way: the inescapable monster hit looming over the band that is ‘Standing in the way of control,’ and their equally dominating leader, Beth Ditto. Now that’s done with, the Gossip have released their 4th (yes, fourth!) album, Music for Men, on the 22nd June in the UK, off the back ... Read Full Story

When I first heard Mr. Oizo’s remix of N.A.S.A.’s “Strange Enough,” I was a bit disappointed with the way his cuts seemed to delude Karen O’s fantastic hook on the song. By the second time around, Karen O’s hook felt deluded no longer — in fact, Mr. Oizo’s synth chops felt warm and joyous. Indeed, it’s the choppy synth that really makes this remix shine. Only at first do they sound a bit awkward and ill-timed and it goes without saying th... Read Full Story

La Roux is often overshadowed by the more accessible and likable Little Boots, and to be honest, neither of her new singles (In For The Kill, Not Your Toy, Bulletproof) have had any staying power on my iPod — not like their debut single “Quicksand.” Now that La Roux’s debut album has been splattered all over the internet, I’ve had a chance to poke my head in search of a song of “Quicksand” caliber. After a handful of listens, “Tigerlily” ... Read Full Story

Today marks the beginning of the second half of 2009. We’ve had a marvelous 6 months full of great music and it’s time to update my list of the Absolute Best Songs of 2009. Well, it’s not really fair to call this an update really — I completely tossed out the old list and started up a new one from scratch. I didn’t stop at the top 10 either — this list spans the 50 songs that I believe are the best of the year, so far. But like the first list, I upheld onl... Read Full Story