M.I.A.
“/\/\ /\ Y /\”
1 out of 5 stars

From the strange, horrible sounds M.I.A. presents as music to the annoying stylization of the album’s title, this album disappoints.

Her sophomore release, Kala, was poppy and very well done. I’m sure that many will remember her breakout single, “Paper Planes.”

However, in the three years between Kala and Maya, M.I.A. seems to have forgotten how to make good music.

This time around she has injected too much of her political activism and opinions into her lyrics. And if songs inveighing against the CIA is not enough to turn listeners off, her “instrumentation” sounds like a lawnmower being hacked apart by a chainsaw. The only listenable song on the album is “XXXO,” which is the only thing slightly resembling a pop song on this release, but even that falls short of what anyone would really consider good.

M.I.A.’s previous success and quality of music makes this album even more painful.

Key track: “XXXO”
- Matt Jannetti

School is back in session. Do you need some songs to keep you trudging through the start of classes or your first paper? Do you need something that will keep you occupied in the months ahead as the days shorten and the temperature drops? Then you’ve some to the right place. So stay right there and let us tell you all about the best songs of the past month.
(continue reading…)

Here are the Top 30 Albums at WTSR for the Week Ending 9/25/2010!
(Listed by Artist then Album Title)

1 INTERPOL Interpol
2 WEEZER Hurley
3 CROCODILES Sleep Forever
4 ARCADE FIRE The Suburbs
5 TWIN SHADOW Forget
6 BLACK MOUNTAIN Wilderness Heart
7 BREATHE OWL BREATHE Magic Central
8 NO AGE Everything In Between
9 RA RA RIOT The Orchard
10 OF MONTREAL False Priest
Click here to see the full list.

Crocodiles
“Sleep Forever”
4 out of 5 stars

It has only been a little over a year since Crocodiles’ debut album “Summer of Hate,” but the San Diego duo, comprised of Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell, has already released its sophomore effort.

“Sleep Forever” is more melodic, which probably has much to do with its choice to have James Ford of Simian Mobile Disco take the production reins, since he has done the same with albums by Klaxons, Arctic Monkeys and Florence + The Machine.

Besides containing the heavy aggressive guitar riffs reminiscent of Arctic Monkeys, the songs combine the experimentation and psychedelia of Neon Indian with the lo-fi rawness of Dum Dum Girls to create a sound that is much their own.

From the album title to the cover seemingly depicting four children standing around an empty grave, the recurrent theme of death is hard to miss, but Crocodiles balances the lyrical darkness with lively musicianship. This is most evident in standout track “Hearts of Love,” which utilizes bells, chimes and an anthemic chorus so that you probably won’t even notice that you’re shouting, “When I die, when I disappear, leave my bones behind.”

Key tracks: “Hearts Of Love” and “Mirrors”
- Caitlyn Preciado

Here are some more clips of Jake Ehrlrich playing at DECAF:

Click here for more clips.