The Raconteurs Broken Boy Soldiers
Far too short, Broken Boy Soldiers is nonetheless an interesting venture.
Whether or not you want to call it a side project is up to you (just make sure Jack White and Brendan Benson can't hear you), but it's hard to feel like it's much more given the incomplete feeling of this 11-track album. That's not to say it's at all bad though, there's definitely some good stuff within the near 35-minute album. The problem is just that it's almost obvious on certain occasions that Benson, White & Co. were writing some of these songs on a whim. The majority of the songs are relatively simplistic to say the least, and despite NME's massive overstatement that the Raconteurs' album is the greatest rock album since Nirvana's Nevermind, the sound never really materializes into anything, thus making it feel not only bland but also incomplete. If they're not exercising their 60's pop-rock demons with tracks like "Hands" and "Together," chances are the track that conceivably sounds like it would have otherwise been made a White Stripes B-Side ("Broken Boy Soldier" and "Store Bought Bones"). By the end of the album, you wonder if you bought a finished CD or managed to walk away with a demo. In defense of the Raconteurs, Jack White and Brendan Benson at 75% is better than the majority of other artists at 100% and the rating will reflect that, it's just disappointing that this album had to feel so rushed. I'm hoping that perhaps next time they'll be able to work on something more substantial.Overall Rating: 81
Serena Maneesh Serena Maneesh
As challenging as it is rewarding, an incredibly provoking album.
While living up to the hype of such groups is My Bloody Valentine and particularly Velvet Underground is never easy, in fact almost impossible, Serena Maneesh not only meets those expectations but also surpasses them with ease. The proof of that comes immediately on the first track, "Drain Cosmetics," which is easily one of the best introductory songs to an album I've heard since Interpol's "Untitled" on Turn out the Bright Lights. Starting out in familiar VU-like territory, the guitar riff suddenly echoes and all sense of familiarity becomes lost once the vocals echo in, and from here the stage has been set for the world that is Serena Maneesh, and what a beautiful world it is. "Selina's Melodie Fountain" continues with a bit more of a hurried pace as the guitars slice their way through the seemingly infinite background effects. Despite being incredibly involved and atmospheric, the album is never overwhelming if you don't allow it to be. Instead, just kick back and relax and let the sound soak in after a few listens, and I guarantee you'll be hooked. Another plus, particularly considering this is a downfall of many atmospheric-oriented rock bands, is that there is little to no filler on this album. It is immediately apparent that every note serves a purpose in the overall composition of the album, and that makes it all the more beautiful. Even the shortest tracks like "Un-Deux" and "Simplicity" make the most of their time, serving as timely transitional pieces. This is particularly true with the latter as it preludes the closing 12-minute epic of "Your Blood in Mine," a hauntingly beautiful piece. It's often said that, for better or worse, the best music is the music that takes you on a journey to another world, and that is precisely what makes Serena Maneesh so good.
While living up to the hype of such groups is My Bloody Valentine and particularly Velvet Underground is never easy, in fact almost impossible, Serena Maneesh not only meets those expectations but also surpasses them with ease. The proof of that comes immediately on the first track, "Drain Cosmetics," which is easily one of the best introductory songs to an album I've heard since Interpol's "Untitled" on Turn out the Bright Lights. Starting out in familiar VU-like territory, the guitar riff suddenly echoes and all sense of familiarity becomes lost once the vocals echo in, and from here the stage has been set for the world that is Serena Maneesh, and what a beautiful world it is. "Selina's Melodie Fountain" continues with a bit more of a hurried pace as the guitars slice their way through the seemingly infinite background effects. Despite being incredibly involved and atmospheric, the album is never overwhelming if you don't allow it to be. Instead, just kick back and relax and let the sound soak in after a few listens, and I guarantee you'll be hooked. Another plus, particularly considering this is a downfall of many atmospheric-oriented rock bands, is that there is little to no filler on this album. It is immediately apparent that every note serves a purpose in the overall composition of the album, and that makes it all the more beautiful. Even the shortest tracks like "Un-Deux" and "Simplicity" make the most of their time, serving as timely transitional pieces. This is particularly true with the latter as it preludes the closing 12-minute epic of "Your Blood in Mine," a hauntingly beautiful piece. It's often said that, for better or worse, the best music is the music that takes you on a journey to another world, and that is precisely what makes Serena Maneesh so good.
Overall Rating: 97
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