Noise 101 – CD Reviews for March 10

Amos Lee. Mission Bell. Blue Note Records

Amos Lee
Mission Bell
Blue Note Records

This album is adult-contemporary at its best, which isn’t necessarily the best thing. I’m sure Lee is a very talented individual, but when he spouts lyrics like “My love is a flower/That blooms every hour/I believe in the power/Of love,” it’s hard not to want to throw up in your mouth. I’m sure there is an audience ready and willing to lap up this kind of music, and all the power to them, but for the most part, the album, while not light in pretty moments complete with strings and the twinkling of piano keys, lacks passion and spirit, and everything that a good “Americana” singer needs. He lacks gravitas and weight, and as a result the album feels like it’s floating on a cloud; a boring, boring cloud.

— Michael Bull

Eliza Doolittle. Eliza Doolittle. Parlophone

Eliza Doolittle
Eliza Doolittle
Parlophone

Beginning with an uplifting track about not needing money to be happy, Eliza Doolittle’s self-titled debut album has the ability to make any gloomy day, a sunny oneReleased in the U.K. in July 2010, Doolittle has already solidified herself as a British pop star with the album having reached platinum status there. Its mellow, sentimental sound is perfect for a summer road trip or a day spent relaxing on a porch. Dreaming of Doolittle walking down a sunny London street, it is easy to recreate the mood she was in while recording these ’50s and ’60s influenced songs. Her easy, melodic voice accents the quirky, cute lyrics along with hints of whistling and chirping birds. With upcoming appearances at both the Coachella and SXSW (South by Southwest) music festivals in the U.S., one can only assume that Doolittle’s infectious sound will soon be filling our airwaves.

— Laura Lushington

LCD Soundsystem. London Sessions. Dfa Records

LCD Soundsystem
London Sessions
Dfa Records

All of LCD’s talents and creativity have manifested within London Sessions to produce an unimaginably wild soundscape. An elegant fusion of nine songs from the intrepid electro-pop group in a live studio album captures all a listener could want out of a greatest hits album. Their influences are especially noticeable in “Us Vs Them,” the bass line of which has been plucked straight out of a ‘70s cop film and an itchy power guitar riff with frenzied cowbell frames singer James Murphy’s keen falsetto in a fashion akin to Duran Duran. LCD’s instrumental capabilities are at their peak on this album where robotic keyboard and harmonic vocals are a magnetic contrast to Murphy’s integration of grand piano and a pulsating, club-worthy synth line in “Get Innocuous!” !” Overall, this album has achieved its goal of combining some of LCD’s greatest works, but in a style that brings the listener into a more intimate space, despite its genre as a dance electronic album.

— Therese Schultz