A—
80%
Jason Collett
Here’s to Being Here
Arts & Crafts
The indie darlings of the Broken Social Scene collective made several appearances on Jason Collett’s last record, Idols of Exile, perhaps in an attempt to give Collett a credibility only the BSS name can deliver. But Collett is almost on his own with his latest album, Here’s to Being Here.
Backed by his ever-energetic band, Paso Mino, Collett has produced a more upbeat batch of songs on his third Arts & Crafts release. Staying true to his folk, alt-country beginnings, Collett amplifies his sound by featuring several guitars with solos reminiscent of ’70s-style dance rock.
The album’s two fearlessly poppy tracks “Out of Time” and “Paper Cut Hearts” are marked by their perfect mix of twanging guitars, adorable doo-wop style back-up vocals and energetic piano, making the songs infectiously catchy. With phrasing and inflection vaguely echoing the vocal styling of Bob Dylan, Collett sings about identifiable Canadian imagery with references to a beloved Toronto neighbourhood in “Charlyn, Angel of Kensington.” He even gives a shout out to Kingston in the melancholic “No Redemption Song,” lamenting, “I let my soul slip into the sun and watched it sink just over Kingston.” Collett doesn’t break any new musical territory with this territory. He does however, display a flair for writing sophisticated songs, with impressive arrangements and insightful lyrics that meld pop and alternative country flawlessly. Without breaking a sweat, Collet has fashioned an eminently listenable album.
—Emily Whalen
A
84%
Daft Punk
Alive 2007
Virgin
“Live album” is a phrase that conjures up thoughts of critical catastrophe: inaudible, grainy audio, awkward attempts at deviating from the record-released versions of songs and forced inter-song banter. Daft Punk’s Alive 2007 avoids all of the above.
Fueled by the roars of an enthusiastic—and likely intoxicated—Parisian crowd on their Alive 2007 tour, Daft Punk’s second live effort is the return to greatness fans were waiting for after 2005’s disappointing Human After All.
Somehow capturing the crowd’s manic energy and screams without sacrificing the recording’s quality, Alive plays like the coolest mix tape you’ve ever received. Old favourites and newer songs from Human After All are cut up, sampled, mixed and taped back together into a medley of everything you love about Daft Punk.
Lending new possibility to well-established tracks, and giving lesser-known songs some much needed exposure, Daft Punk has not only reinvented the live album, but perhaps the greatest hits album as well.
Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter’s live show was an enormous success, leaving the album with spectacularly large musical shoes to fill.
Alive 2007 does its best—you can almost feel the strobe lights. You can almost see the Lite Brite jackets. You can almost feel the sweaty concert-goers dancing just a little too close for comfort—almost.
The album’s biggest problem is that it serves as a reminder of the experience that you missed out on. Listening to the album is pleasurable on its own, but each smooth transition and clever new arrangement comes with the knowledge that it would have been that much harder, better, faster and stronger in person.
Regardless of the envy it may cause towards friends who actually saw the concert, Daft Punk’s Alive 2007 is so catchy, so danceable, so refreshing, you’ll want to listen to it at least one more time.
—Monica Heisey
A
86%
Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend
XL Recordings
Listening to Vampire Weekend’s self-titled debut album, it seems New York, the epicentere of cool, has done it again. The city has spawned another remarkably innovative and unique band.
Surprisingly, Vampire Weekend sounds less raw and gritty than would be expected from a New York indie group. Instead, they opt for syncopated African-inspired rhythms and infectiously lilting keyboard melodies that launch their album in an entirely different direction than their roots suggest. The bizarre yet intriguing combination of the band’s self-itted privileged background combined with their African pop influences makes for an unusual image and soundscape.
While some of their songs have garnered Vampire Weekend comparisons to The Strokes and—a result of some of their more complex arrangements—Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend are decidedly lighter. Lighter doesn’t mean bad, however—as the band are unabashedly creates joyously fresh, clean, pop music. The lyrics, sung by front man Ezra Koenig, revolve around such preppy and almost overly intellectual topics as Oxford commas, collegiate grief and campus life of the affluent residents in Provincetown, giving a decidedly scholarly tone to the songs—not altogether unexpected from a group of Columbia graduates.
This album has been long expected from their fan base, and, although it features many of the same songs found on their original demo, it inspires and differentiates itself with new arrangements. The excitement surrounding Vampire Weekend may just be debut hype, but their first effort is substantial enough to reach beyond the buzz.
—Caoimhe Morgan-Feir
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be ed, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to [email protected].