Stars – The Five Ghosts
This album marks the fifth full-length studio release from Stars – our favorite neighbor to the North. Not only does this mark a quantitative accomplishment for the group, but represents the much needed growth any band needs to survive. With the quality of musicianship and creativity appearing on this record, Stars is sure to do much better than mere survival. The vocals feel much more balanced, as if some kind of treaty was reached between Campbell and Milan. This album definitely fits the transition between summer and fall nicely. I’m already wishing for changing colors, book-bags, JCPenny’s back-to-school sales, and the freshest of the fresh cardigans. I highly recommend buying this album. I haven’t been able to put this one down – nor do I plan to.
Stars on the WWW
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Miami Horror – Illumination
Aussie nu-neo-new-disco act Miami Horror’s highly anticipated full length album, Illumination, has everything a boy could want in a woman. Besides jumbly bits that is. Other than that, it has got it all: the curves, the devil-may-care attitude, a playful way of drinking brown liquor, and of course, that sly smile they give you when they know they’re doing everything right. Benjamin Vanguard, producer and world renowned lover behind Miami Horror, has produced an instant classic of the 80’s throwback electro that has been on repeat here at the Coolthanks offices. Equal parts enthralling melody, strident bass, and meticulously crafted dipped-in-sugar vocals, every track plays off the same theme of good times of that bygone era. I usually pay little attention to vocals, but the give and take as well as harmonies of the male-female vocal duo fits so well on top of the synth line that I just pop (chanteuse Kimbra et chanteur Alan Palomo [Neon Indian]). Sometimes I need something to give me a little hop in my step, a little hope that those good times will come again. To do this, I like to turn on C-Span and wait for Nancy Pelosi to come on, prattling away about this or that. I then take hours to sync up her lips with “I, wanna change, the future, as I look into your eyes”; the incredibly catchy hook off “I Look To You”. Something about it just gives me the warm fuzzies. Out now on *gulp* EMI (shudders).
I Look To You from Miami Horror on Vimeo.
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Jamaica – No Problem
Well, its been over a year since I posted a few tracks by a band called, Poney Poney, out of France. At the time, they were in the process of recording a full length album with Justice’s, Xavier de Rosnay. Turns out, Poney Poney changed their name to Jamaica shortly thereafter. They then proceeded to feverishly pump out their original songs with a whole new justicey flair, and the song, ‘Short and Entertaining,’ earlier this summer. Since then I have been patiently waiting for their debut album’ ‘No Problem,’ to finally drop. It was finally released on August 23rd and boy, does it deliver! I’ll admit, some of the songs that were new to me, were difficult to get through. Not because they were bad or too different, but because I wanted to hear the old songs over and over. So after quite few listens through the album in its entirety, I feel safe to say that it is substantially dope. DOPE!! With the production by Xavier, No Problem takes on a very distinctive sound. It could be the punchiness of the drums, the guitar that I can immediately recognize, or the hints of Justice-like sounds sprinkled randomly. Whatever it is, its refreshing and fun to listen to. COP THIS!
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