2008 Year End Reviews Part I

Lots of new music in 2008. Some quick thoughts:

Secret Machines - Secret Machines
You know that point in Pink Floyd's discography where they go from psych-rock to adult contemporary? Somewhere between The Final Cut and Momentary Lapse of Reason? That's what the Secret Machines are doing at this point in their career. It's not all bad - the memorable hooks are still there, the short track list of long songs, the thumping rhythm that pulses under noisy guitar and keyboard tomfoolery and well delivered vocals. But the negatives are starting to show - the band now meanders instead of delivers, the keys are used to prop up the soundscape instead of glistening through it, and at one point there's this whole saxaphone thing.... Anyway, it's good, quite good even, but not up to full the band's full potential as shown on previous records.

The Mars Volta - The Bedlam in Goliath
I don't know why I was excited for this album to arrive. I hadn't cared about The Mars Volta since I listened to Frances the Mute years ago in the car and got too confused to drive. This record makes that record seem almost structured. Every song on Bedlam is caked in layers and layers of noise. Constant guitar noise, like a blender. It's sheer chaos. And the pace...the damn thing keeps getting faster and faster. Serious ADD music, with something like melody buried in there somewhere, though you'll have to listen through quite a few times before you'll be able to hum along. All in all, pretty good.

The Presidents of the United States of America - These are the Good Times People
A guilty pleasure of mine has always been the Presidents (that's not 100% true; I don't feel guilty at all, but I feel like I should). These guys have a way with silliness while always coming across as honest and heartfelt at the same time. This record is again more of the same and again more of an expansion on or progression from previous work. Tops their last two albums easily.