The Dead Flowers Fall Review Omnibus

Forgive me Blogger, for I have sinned. I know I've dismissed, unfairly at times, a lot of music in the past few months--I can't help it, it's in my nature. I also know that I've failed to write about the small amount of music I actually have liked--surely no way for a hobbyist critic with delusions of grandeur to act. So here, without further ado, are some reviews...

Mew--No More Stories...
Mew have always been a prog rock group--I don't think anybody will dispute that. After their brilliant Frengers, though, they made the bewildering And the Glass Handed Kites. The problem? Too much prog, not enough rock. No More Stories seeks to redress the imbalance and is largely successful. "Beach" is beautiful and made more interesting by its jittery drum rhythms. Single "Repeaterbater" is a blast of inspired rock, and "Introducing Palace Players" sounds like Mew trying to emulate Timbaland. Oddly enough, it works.

Key Tracks: "Repeaterbeater", "Beach"
Buy it on Amazon

The Raveonettes--Live at the Empty Bottle
The precursor to what was by all accounts a lackluster Lollapalooza performance, this was the best live show I've seen by The Raveonettes. The small club environment suits them, as they ran through a selection of tracks from every album. The live debut of "Suicide" and other new track "Last Dance" sounded impeccable. A great performance.

Key Tracks: "Red Tan", Last Dance, Lust

The Raveonettes--In And Out Of Control
An NME review once described the death of Britpop as the time when things went from indie bands trying to make pop music to pop bands trying to make indie music. The Raveonettes split the difference with total command of arrangements, dynamics, and overall sound coupled with an impeccable indie pedigree. On In and Out of Control "Dirty"-era Sonic Youth references abound, along with The Smiths, The Stones, and of course The Jesus and Mary Chain. This is a very very good record that weaves all of the different threads of the Raveonettes' music into a cohesive whole.

Key Tracks: "Gone Forever", "Heart of Stone", "Break Up Girls"
Buy it on Amazon

Fool's Gold--S/T
Western rock acts often employ African influences to give their music a sunny, playful quality it might not otherwise possess. A more cynical observer might think they do it to get the critics all in a lather. The disproportionate response to Fool's Gold in comparison to their sister group Foreign Born is a bit embarassing, to be honest. While Foreign Born have been wrongfully ignored, the only so-so Fool's Gold are raking in plaudits from a variety of critics. Yes, "Surprise Hotel" is one of the tracks of the year (even if it probably would be just as good as an instrumental), and there are some other tracks here that present guitarist Lewis Pesacov's muso tendencies in the best possible light. But overall this is destined to be better-than-average background music.

Key Tracks: "Surprise Hotel", "Yam Lo Moschech"
Buy it on Amazon

Think I missed something? Let me know in comments...