Vampire Weekend doesn't suck

There are few words that turn me off an album faster than "indie pop," but I confess, I'm often a pop culture lemming. If everyone else is seeing it, reading it, listening to it, or talking about it, I want to be in on the action. There's been so much fuss over Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend that I eventually caved to the pop culture pressure. And I'm glad I did.

Vampire Weekend is perfect music for cold, icky days when you need some geeky sunshine. It's light and pretty upbeat. What I found most appealing was not so much that it made me smile, but that Vampire Weekend likes to incorporate African and Cuban-style drumming, singing very Eastern American College Boy lyrics over beats from the other side of the world. On top of this percussion, they've got sounds that are distinctly Western chamber-music, cellos and violins. The way the instruments and vocals come together is kind of like a quirky yet fashionable outfit: On its own, the pieces are a little strange. All in one place, it makes you say, "I want that!" One of VW's greatest strengths is its simplicity. The drums are limited to a few different pitches and some smaller, very bright cymbals. In "Oxford Comma," the song that seems to be a fan favorite, much of the subdividing is done on a drum's rim, accented by perky synthesizer chords. Although singer Ezra Koenig doesn't have a huge range, his slightly nasal, nerdy voice fits the band's sound. Lots of syncopation, clean and sometimes silly lyrics and danceable beats make this album an unpretentious joy. Yes, even to us die-hard metal fans.

Favorite songs from the album: Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa, M79

Vampire Weekend's web site || their MySpace || review at Pitchfork

The Heroin Diaries Blog

Today, it's sort of hit me that I can't review newly published books for a year. There will be book reviews here in 2009, but not today. Today, I give you the first of my music reviews, for The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack by Sixx: A.M.

Last week, a DJ on 92.3 K-Rock referred to Nikki Sixx as the hardest-working man in rock today, a statement that's probably true. Sixx: A.M. is just one of many things Nikki Sixx does between Mötley Crüe gigs, although I have to say that they don't sound much like Mötley Crüe. I think that the thing that surprised me the most about The Heroin Diaries Soundtrack was how downtempo it was. The first single off the album, Life is Beautiful, is a modern power ballad. I figured it would be the album's one slow song, given, well, Mötley Crüe. Instead, it's representative of the general sound of the album, one of desperation and healing from a low point in life. Singer James Michael is both the best and worst thing about the band. He's got the passion required to sing these songs about pain, but while his middle register is full with just the right amount of grit, he's got zero upper register at all. This is painfully obvious in "Accidents Can Happen," which is a great song that would have been greater sung by someone with a larger range. The band breaks up the straightforward rock-beat music with some spoken word, which is sort of a neat effect. The opening spoken-word piece, "X-Mas in Hell," is read by Sixx, who has a really cool reading voice, low and gravelly. Some moments of the spoken word parts sound entirely too rehearsed and self-indulgent, but others sound bewildered and honest.

The album's appeal is obvious. The meaningful lyrics, heavy bass, and emotional delivery are reminiscent of all the bands that Mötley Crüe has helped pave the way for: Disturbed, Seether, Saving Abel, etc. Those who find Mötley Crüe too grinding, loud, and/or monotonous can enjoy this album, which is more melodious despite the drums and bass. It's a must buy for any library where popular music, especially rock, circulates with any degree of success.

Favorite songs on the album: Van Nuys, Accidents Can Happen

Sixx A.M.'s website || Nikki Sixx's website || The Heroin Diaries: A Year in the Life of a Shattered Rock Star