Album Review: The Stand Ins

Okkervil River is the type of band that you can just kind of have on in the background, and end up missing out on. So, the first thing I'd ask of you is to try not to let that happen.

The Stand Ins is supposed to be a sequel to last year's excellent The Stage Names. Indeed, they are thematically similar, but I wonder if these are actually b-sides, rather than a sequel.

This album seems much more content to stay in the background than The Stage Names, and doesn't make the effort to rescue you from whatever else it is you're doing.

It does have a lot to offer, if you're willing to meet it half-way. "Lost Coastlines" is amazing, with frontman Will Sheff being joined by crooning from Jonathan Meiberg, who recently left Okkervill River to focus on his other band, Shearwater. As always, Sheff is melodramatic without being obnoxious.

So, it's very good, just not as good last year's offering. If you're a fan, you're already on board, if you're not, check out The Stage Names and Black Sheep Boy, then give this one a try.

Album Review: All Hope is Gone

When I first saw Slipknot play at like 9:00 in the morning at Ozzfest '99 I immediatly dismissed them as a bunch of ICP rip-off masked clowns. I continued to do so until Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses) came out, which I consider to be a masterpiece of the genre.

So, I was quite excited that 4 years after Vol. 3, we got a new album from these guys. I was even more excited, when the band described it as being their heaviest effort yet, with more experiementation as was explored on their prior album.

The short of it, is that All Hope is Gone is neither. Imagine, if you will, a large fellow who is not so bright playing on the high-school football team. His first big play is to tackle the wrong guy, a teammate perhaps, but he doesn't stop there; this guy goes on to tackle a cheerleader and a concession-stand vender. Then, to make things awkward, he does an end-zone dance, right there in the popcorn.

That is to say that on this album Slipknot assult every metal cliche that they could have got away with in the 90's. From the gang-chourus on top of speed-riffing in "Gematria [The Killing Name]," to the lame Marilyn-Mansonesque "Hey!" chant in "Venetta" this is a band that sounds like it's out of ideas. Which is a shame, because Vol. 3 was full of 'em.

All Hope is Gone may very well be a reference to the chances of us getting a good metal album this year. If you know of one, please post to the comments.

Because I love it so much, here's Slipknot from Vol. 3, which is like a love letter from a serial killer.

Here is "Psychosocial," from All Hope is Gone.

Album Review: Keeper's

Deastro has been making DIY pop music underneath his parent's roof since he was 12. He has self-released 3 albums worth of material and has recently been signed by Ghostly International. Keeper's is a bit of a "best of" compilation released through eMusic Selects, which is a label that distributes music exclusively through independent online music retailer eMusic.

Deastro, who is now 22, has a youthful sense of dreaminess to his music. You know how children can say things that are nonsensical and just sort of stick with you? His music feels like that, set to this chill, amazingly pleasant, blippy electro-pop.

There's often a profundity to child-like nonsense, and that's demonstrated here on what's sure to be the latest edition to the hipster's Xmas playlist, Child of Men, Son of God. In it, the speaker ponders "If there was room in the inn, maybe he wouldn't have to pay for my sins."

The major flaw on this album may be a deal-breaker. Deastro has admitted to not knowing what he's doing when it comes to recording music, and unfortunately these songs are pushed beyond the wall to distortion. The mix is fine for bangin' at parties, but with headphones it might drive you crazy. There's hope for future projects, though, as the version of Light Powered that appears on Ghostly Swim seems to have a much cleaner sound.

I think that more I listen to his music, the more I am fascinated by the man, and that rabbit hole takes a steep dive when you start looking at his artwork, which looks like a brilliantly deranged high-school student's notebook after a semester of boring classes and a pack of markers. His liner notes, complete with lyrics, can be found here. Be prepared to use the "Rotate Clockwise" button on your .pdf reader.

So, with sound quality issues plaguing the recording, Keeper's might very well be a pass, but hopefully future releases from Ghostly International will be better. Like Palpatine to Anakin Skywalker, I'm gonna keep my eye on this kid.