I'm busting out some foreign languages for this one as I wanted to give a shout out to my 2nd favorite band I saw at Lollapalooza this year, Booka Shade. As I have stated on numerous occasions before, I used to be a club going man. However, with age and balding my clubbing days are behind me and I am confined to my home for my personal dance parties.

Booka Shade present one of those electronica groups that cross over between two genres. They can be both electronica dance with some of their more upbeat and crazy remixes (that they do live and that you can hear on their myspace page live at Glastonbury festival) or chill. The best thing about their disc MOVEMENTS is that it can be both. If you want to crank it up and get the old fist pumping in the air, you can blast some tracks like IN WHITE ROOMS to get your groove on, Napoleon Dynamite-style. On the other hand, you can just throw the disc in your player and use it as background music while you Autocad all day.

My interest in dance/electronic/club music has waned over the past few years as I don't really keep up with the big "up and coming" names like I used to back in my younger years. Just like any music, there is an "underground" scene that has many great dj's that are putting out stellar remixes and original tracks.

If you are looking for some quality creative music that can keep you going on a slow day, you can do a lot worse than Booka Shade's MOVEMENTS. And if you get the chance, throw in some earplugs and catch them live some time. You will not be disappointed by their energy or the tunes.

Stand out tracks: In White Rooms, The Birds and the Beats/At the Window, Mandarine Girl, Around You (Quiet)

http://www.myspace.com/getbookashade

Even though Tom Chaplin might be a little crazy looking, I feel that he has some of the strongest male vocals in any band making music today. His voice is pure and his pitch, consistent. Plus, he is British (which scores big points in my book as the majority of my favorite bands are from across the pond).

I had VERY high expectations for Keane's new album, PERFECT SYMMETRY, because I think I was one of about 5 people who really enjoyed their 2nd album. I love bands that grow and progress and decide to try new things as they develop (see Radiohead; Sigur Ros). That is exactly what Keane has done over the course of their first two discs and they continue it with their 3rd.

I was laughing when I heard the cd the first time because it is very "throwback" sounding in how they use a lot of synthesizer and programming that reminds you of the whole 80's sound. The thing that makes it progressive is that they blend it smoothly into their established piano rock sound. It is toe tapping good and just infectious from the get-go (A perfect example is the track "Better than This." Just try and not shake your moneymaker).

Additionally, the boys in Keane don't let down their diehard "traditional" fans with some great quality ballads towards the back end of the album. The first half is a dance party and the 2nd half is for you to make out after you got your groove on.

I think that a lot of old fans will come back to Keane with this album and they might just add a few new fans while they are at it. I also have complete confidence that this album won't be a short rotation on my IPOD. It is a keeper.

Stand out tracks are: "Perfect Symmetry" "Black Burning Heart" "You Don't See Me"

http://www.myspace.com/keane

Yeah, that is how Mates of State were introduced this year at Lollapalooza. I thought that was a pretty bold statement at the time but now I might just be buying into the hype. As you may remember, one of the top bands of my first Lollapalooza experience were Mates of State (along with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Booka Shade and the Ting Tings...more on them in just a little bit). I finally got off my behind and downloaded their 2008 album THE RE-ARRANGER and I have to say, it is one of the shortest pieces of rock bliss that I have found in quite some time.

Mates of State are definitely not doing anything new. They are a male/female duo with piano and drums that just happen to be together, in a band and in a relationship. The catch of why they are so good is what they are doing that no one is doing today. The male/female harmonies on RE-ARRANGE US are so...well perfect that you can't help but tap your foot or in my case, jump around the room and attempt to dance like the white boy that I am.

The entire album is solid and just like most recordings today, the weaker songs are towards the end. That doesn't take away much from the album as the songs all blend together into one short lived dance revolution (yep, I went there). Since it clocks in just under 40 minutes, some people were a bit disappointed with the release. However, since this was my first experience with them, it was a great introduction. Long enough to get me hooked but not too long where I get bored or it becomes overkill.

If you like catchy melodies, crisp harmonies and just solid rock/pop, you could do far worse than the Mates of State. My personal standouts on the disc would be: The Re-Arranger, My Only Offer, Blue and Gold Print and You Are Free.

http://www.myspace.com/matesofstate

And also, since I have finally bought some new music recently, look for some more reviews this week of Booka Shade, Sharon Jones and possibly Keane.