Opinz

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Soundtrack

While people generally seem to be forgiving of the faults of the film Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen due to the large number of shiny robots blowing things up covering up the lack of substance, there is nothing in the soundtrack to cover up for the lack of substance in it, and the only shiny explosions likely to make one forget about the songs meaning nothing, saying nothing, and doing so in a manner completely devoid of creativity would have to come when the computer or CD player used to listen to it is thrown in a bathtub full of water as lukewarm as the music itself.
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Discovery – LP

The premise of Discovery alone is enough to have you worried before you listen – one of the guys from Vampire Weekend and one of the guys from Ra Ra Riot record a synthy R&B pop album in the style of so many modern hitmakers – but the results are even more unlistenable than you’d expect, as these two tumble through every modern pop cliche in the book (handclaps, auto-tune, chopped vocals, repetitive lyrics about shallow romance and clubbing) in a series of poorly and clearly very hastily constructed songs (including an insultingly bad and ill-timed cover of “I Want You Back”) that aren’t even catchy or fun as disposable pop, just silly and obnoxious; LP (groan) is a joke and a disgustingly shameless effort at hipster-baiting.

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Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca

Dave Longstreth has built his reputation on the appeal of his constantly wandering ambitions, but never before has he so successfully collected those ambitions in one place than on Bitte Orca, somehow fitting together things like catchy guitar riffs, girl group R&B vocals, and sweeping orchestral interludes in a way that feels more cohesive, accessible, and simply wonderful than many musicians could ever hope to pull off when running in so many different directions at once.

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Wilco – Wilco (The Album)

Jeff Tweedy has suggested that this new album’s humorous title is simply an indication that this is the most Wilco-sounding Wilco album yet, and I must agree – it’s all about balance with this collection of songs, brilliantly written and adorned with expert musicianship, and swaying confidently and seamlessly between the band’s experimental tendencies and their rock and country roots, alligning contrasting tracks like the noisy, atmospheric “Bull Black Nova”, the tender Feist duet “You and I”, and the catchy “Wilco (The Song)” into a singular and unique sound that is quite simply…Wilco.

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Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse – Dark Night of the Soul

Dark Night of the Soul is a big musical collaboration between the band Sparklehorse, ubiquitous producer Danger Mouse, a whole bunch of other people, and David Lynch, who provides an high price artbook full of accompanying visuals (and may or may not give an uncredited vocal performance on the title track); the album is made up of fuzzy, melencholy vignettes about “dark” themes like revenge and suffering but with an overwhelming pop sensibility – the results often live up to the contributor’s reputations and add to the album’s engaging mood (Wayne Coyne on “Revenge”, Iggy Pop on “Pain”, Vic Chestnutt’s “Grim Augury”) but as with any kitchen with this many cooks, missteps are bound to arise. (Nina Persson’s two tracks are pretty meh and Frank Black seems misused)

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