A new beginning...

Hey everyone!  It's been over a year since I restarted this music blog, and it's been an experience more fulfilling than I ever thought it would be.  I enjoy writing these pieces almost as much as I enjoy listening to the music I'm writing about, and I hope you've been enjoying reading them, and maybe even downloading some of the albums!

Over the past few months, I've been involved with a new project that happens to be launching today.  My friends Jon and Sean, two dedicated and talented bloggers, decided to create a website to effectively combine their blogs, and they kindly invited me along for the ride.  So, as of today, I am shutting the doors on Post-Whatever and moving on to what I hope will be an even better experience.

The new website, Nowhere Plans, is a multi-topic blog site with articles not only regarding music, but sports, politics, and other current topics as well.  Each of the writers involved have their own unique point of view and are a pleasure to read.  I hope you guys will bookmark it and check it daily not only for my reviews and features, but everything else it has to offer as well.  I'm very excited about this new start and I hope you'll join me for the ride!

Thanks for reading!
-Andy

Review: Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto

Grade: B-


Few pop groups in the last decade have been as inventive as Coldplay.  Chris Martin and company have hit the target of every aspiring musician; to be able to experiment with their sound from album to album while maintaining an astonishing level of popularity.  "We are not as good musically, but much more attractive," Martin recently said of fellow British band Radiohead, a band which has achieved something similar to Coldplay.  But while Thom Yorke is willing to alienate his fans in the pursuit of achieving an artistic vision, Coldplay prefers to cater to the masses.  This is extremely apparent on Mylo Xyloto, where Coldplay expand their horizons a little bit but still keep their sights focused on pleasing their fans.

To be honest, I was put off a little by the first two singles, "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" and "Paradise."  "Every Teardrop..." had the sound of a band that was content with where they were, simply going through the motions and accepting their paychecks.  "Paradise" at least showed some signs of creative flair, but the song was stagnant, on its own it sounded like one big shambling sigh.  Both of these tracks, though, take on new life when put in context of the album, which is a good sign.  "Paradise" becomes the closing fanfare to opener and standout track "Hurts Like Heaven."  "Every Teardrop..." transforms into an invigorating re-energizer after a couple of subdued tracks.  This really demonstrates Coldplay's ability to order their tracks and craft a real album rather than merely a collection of songs.

This record finds Coldplay using a lot more electronics than we're used to, which is apparent right from the start with Martin's modified vocals on "Hurts Like Heaven."  Coldplay aren't an electronic band now though, there are still a couple of acoustic songs, but these mostly miss the mark for me (see U.F.O.).  The most interesting move is the inclusion of Rihanna on the song "Princess of China."  Coldplay fans will probably be divided on this one, but I think it was a good idea that could have been executed better.  The record ends with a fantastic duo.  "Don't Let It Break Your Heart" is a dense, fast-paced epic that leads into "Up With The Birds."  A beautiful piano ballad that transforms into a pretty standard piano/guitar Coldplay tune, "Up With The Birds" ends the record on a note of wistful bliss.

While Mylo Xyloto is a step away from the epic instrumentation of Viva la Vida, it manages to be almost as effective.  Mylo Xyloto balances its highs and lows well, and if not for the inclusion of a couple of questionable guitar ballads, it would be right up there among the group's best works.  Still, the band has to be commended for their ability to think outside the box and deliver an album of fresh tunes that are sequenced beautifully.

Review: Justice - Audio, Video, Disco

Grade: B+

Justice have always felt a little like a poor man's Daft Punk to me.  They do bear a lot of tangible similarities, both being French electronic duos adored by both critics and hipsters.  Both experienced a rare form of crossover success for a genre that doesn't get much of that.  And while their styles of music aren't exactly the same, both duos use a similar template: uplifting, sometimes-danceable-sometimes-not, but always catchy music.  Daft Punk were the masters, but ever since Justice released their 2007 debut Cross, they felt like a stand-in, simply filling the void that DP has left since their last real album, Human After All (no, Tron doesn't count).  Well, it seems Justice seem to have decided that they aren't particularly pleased about where they are anymore, and have decided to move on to something new on their second record, Audio, Video, Disco.

One thing Justice have that separates them from DP is a penchant for mixing house music with indie rock sensabilities.  Justice take this one step further on AVD, creating a type of music that can clearly be labeled "arena-house."  Pretty much every song on the record makes heavy use of guitars along with the typical synth and drum machine.  The result is something pretty similar to Ratatat, with guitar figures forming the basis for much of the melody.  "Brianvision" is a prime example of a song that could easily be mistaken for a Ratatat tune to a first-time listener.

Fortunately, this record doesn't just blatantly copy contemporaries like Ratatat.  There is a much more anthem-y feel to a lot of these songs, like they're meant to be played in big spaces for big crowds.  "Ohio" opens with 40 seconds of a capella vocals before slowly building into a complex mess of synth lines.  The use of vocals is nothing new for Justice, but never before have they been used as such a key part of the songs.  What's even more interesting is that they sound perfectly assured in their new sound, which is impressive considering the stylistic leap.  But fear not, fans of Cross!  Songs like "Helix" and first single "Civilization" will satiate your appetite for the tried-and-true Justice sound (for the most part!).

Justice have taken a huge risk with this change, but I think it pays off.  Even though they pull from the template of Ratatat a little, these songs sound just unique enough to flourish.  Justice made a good decision in trying to break through their genre-chains.  This sort of jump sounds like the work of a band not happy with being confined to a single genre, so here's hoping future releases are just as exploratory.