The rest of June was aight too:

6/20/06

Guster - Ganging Up On The Sun

Ahhhhhh Guster. While the album hasn't consumed me like "Keep It Together" just yet, there is a lot to love about it. The CD has "Lightning Rod," my favorite opening song of any Guster album... very moody and dramatic and dark. That's quite a depature from the likes of "What You Wish For." The CD ends with "Hang On," a great song with a Fruit Bats vibe. The songs in between are good too, I'm sure, I just need to invest some more time in them I guess. Visit the Website

Keane - Under the Iron Sea

I was a huge fan of Hopes & Fears and was pretty excited for the new album. Well... it's got great cover art. I dunno though...I'm just not feeling it. To be fair, I don't have the album yet and have not heard the full thing all the way through. I have listened to the songs and seen them live and it's just not grabbing me like Hopes & Fears did. Maybe I need to give it more time and it will grow on me? I don't think seeing them live helps because I think something just makes me uncomfortable about the singer's stage presence. I mean, don't get me wrong, he seems like a super sweet guy, and the keyboardist makes up for him anyway with his Yowza factor. As live shows go, they always have had a rediculously short set, and they didn't really increase the set length very much for a full new album's worth of songs. That means many of my favorite songs get cut from the set (many of them b-sides which never got played in the first place...ahem... "The Way You Want It".) As for the new album, I think their first single "Atlantic" is okay. I really don't like their second single, "Is It Any Wonder?" or its roller coaster video that spends too much time on lead singer and too little on Yowza. Of course I relate to the political sentiment of it, but it kind of reminds me a lot of some of the Travis songs from 12 Memories, but just not as good. The next single, Crystal Ball, I like a lot more (at least live). I also like "Hamburg Song" quite a bit. So, the album is definitely not a flop by any means and maybe it will grow on me, especially once I listen to it as a total package. Visit Website

The Submarines - Declare a New State!

The Submarines is comprised of a girl from Vermont and a guy from Dubai who met in Boston and made some beautiful indie music. Some songs feature predominantly male vocals, some feature mostly female (Brighter Discontent) and many feature great male/female duets. Lovely! Visit Website

Frank Black - Fast Man Raider Man

I haven't listened much to Frank Black's stuff, but how can I not include him? Visit Website

Cute is What We Go For - The Same Old Blood Rush With A New Touch

More pop punk that doesn't sound too much different than the majority of pop punk, which means I enjoy it about as much as most pop punk. Very catchy stuff. Visit Website

6/27/06

India.Arie - Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship

I'm not a huge R&B person, but ever since "I Am Ready For Love" was included on a mix CD for me, my heart has belonged to India.Arie. She has always reminded me of a not annoying version of Lauryn Hill... excuse me... Ms. Hll. So yeah, as female R&B goes, India.Arie is at the top of the barrel. And I really enjoy her hair. Just kidding. Visit Website

Dashboard Confessional - Dusk and Summer

This week's emo pop punk entry. I have always been a marginal fan of Dashboard (Screaming Infidelities, The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most.) I enjoy what I have heard from this new album...marginally. While I prefer the stripped down, emotionally raw stuff more, this is all...decent. I like "Don't Wait" and "Dusk and Summer" a lot. It's not going to take me enjoyment of Dashboard to a new level, but it's also not going to make me lose any love for them either. Visit Website

The Fallout Trust - In Case Of The Flood

This week England delivers The Fallout Trust. I heard this album a long time ago on the Import rack at Tower and was intrigued. They're also one of those glorious bands that lets you listen to their entire CD on their website. And since I don't have much to say about them you shoud. Visit Website

Tim O'Reagan - Tim O'Reagan

The former Jayhawks drummer is back and the front man this time. Definitey worth checking out. Visit Website

Rick Oliver
Rick is an Essex musician. He has the Spinto Band in his top 8 on myspace. He's got some pretty straightforward pop rock stuff. Eh... I'm just tired of typing at this point. Check him out.Visit Website