My Amazon Reviews: Band of Horses "Infinite Arms"

Splittin' Apart at The Seams

4 Out Of 5 Stars

Band of Horses jump to a major label and do the new members shuffle for "Infinite Arms." While the result still sounds like the band that recorded "Everything All The Time" (mainly due to Ben Birdwell's wonderful voice), the band now sounds more like it belongs to Ben than ever before. His voice is now more front and center, the playing tighter and there's less of a dream-world sound than before.

This is a mixed blessing. While "Infinite Arms" feels more like a cohesive record than the previous two, it comes at the expense of the grandiose mood swings those albums owned. Ben is also working on his radio-friendly chops. "Laraedo" is the obvious ringer, but I was also seriously taken by the Beach Boy harmony on "Blue Beard." "For Annabelle" even comes off as a Southern Rock/Eagles ballad. There's atmosphere to spare all around (and especially on the title track and opener, "Factory"), so those who did fall in love with the ethereal sounds of the earlier album will find their space.

Overall, a solid record, maybe their best. Like Fleet Foxes and My Morning Jacket, Band of Horses is finding a way to stay spatial while still finding their way down to Earth.

  

My Amazon Reviews: The Smiths "The Sound of The Smiths"

  Smithy Sounding
5 Out of 5 Stars

Morrissey and Johnny Marr composed the most idiosyncratic duos of the 80's as the core of The Smiths. Morrissey of the complex and quintessentially droll gay Brit lyrical sensibility, Marr of the melodic yet jangular guitar mixture. Despite the dichotomy (and the friction that ultimately broke the band apart), when the two men clicked, they created brilliant bits of hit single obtuseness. "The Sound of The Smiths" captures that perfectly.

The finest examples are songs like "How Soon is Now," where the unbearably devious guitar riff anchors the song, dragging you into the Morrissey's usual tale of desperate relationships with a sickening thud. Then there's the jangling tease of "This Charming Man," about a piece of insecure street trade being solicited by a man of class. And who can resist the sardonic call of "Panic's" "Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ"?

While it is hard for me not to recommend any single Smiths album or the many compilations, I can also safely say that any of their four proper albums (especially the debut) is likely a better buy than their multiple best ofs. But if all you're really looking for is the brilliant decade of genre defining singles, "The Sound of The Smiths" is invaluable.

OMG - OK Go goes to the Dogs