Logan Lynn - “From Pillar To Post”
(November 24)

Uber ginger otter releases third studio album (and first on Beat The World label) of his self-proclaimed folk techno.  This Oregon born artist comes to us with a particular type of electro all of his own, closer to The XX than Daft Punk.  Mr. Lynn puts his somewhat monotone flavor of singing over several simple to complex dance beats. These are sounds don’t quite send one rushing to the dance floor, but gets the head bobbing none-the-less.  What is different with his approach to the genre is his delivery and lyrics. His lyrics don’t offer the usual techno spiel of booty shaking and party anthems.  His topics are scathing and usually about break-ups or rocky relationships of all kinds.  Perfect example is the downbeat single re-released here from a previous album “Feed Me To The Wolves” which has Logan as one end of a failing affair not quite willing to let go. It is always interesting when a gay artist isn’t afraid to put his/her sexuality actually on their record and not shy away using vague pronouns and such.  Logan does not shy away in fact embraces it, whom of us doesn’t know someone or are someone who could be the main subject in Logan's

“Bottom Your Way To The Top” Just to hit the topic full steam don’t forget to watch the incredibly hot video for that song.  It features hot hairy cubs and bears in a club dungeon making out and getting down to business. The only downside to the album is the inclusion of several interludes, (Prey On The Power, I Have To Do It, and To Bed, Up The Wooden Mountain), which do nothing but stunt the cohesion of the rest of the album.  They seem like filler for fillers sake.  Overall Logan Lynn has found a way to make breaking up, longing, self-deprecating, and masochism inclusive and relatable. Showing this type of feeling is especially hard to do in the emotionally limited genre of computer-laden electro, which Logan Lynn must have talent to have done so.

(Grade A-) Highlights: “Feed Me To The Wolves,” “Bleed Him Out,”  “If He Hollers”

The Bravery -“Stir The Blood”
(December 1)

Huge fear arose in me when I heard the first single “Slow Poison,” off the 3^rd full length album from “The Bravery.”  It fell into the knock off of The Killers that the band is always unfortunately being compared to, without the wit and sleek production they bring to the table on most of their efforts.  With that fear going in it is sad to say that much of “Stir The Blood” doesn’t shy to far away from that mold. Things that have stayed that should and glad they have are the up tempo dance-y electro light band play, which of course is such a main stay in most popular music now.  Bands or even rap groups can do no wrong it seems with a few blips and computer enhanced vocals.  That is why their previous album “The Sun And The Moon” faired better after the remix or “complete” version was released.  The Bravery knows this and hook-laden chorus over certain tempo may seem like copy of their counterparts but it’sjust smart album making. An element new to The Bravery’s menu is experimentation with vocals. Sam Endicott tries to employ a certain falsetto-esque tinge to his voice on several songs (“I Am Your Skin,” “I Have Seen The Future,”  “Song For Jacob”) but unfortunately to the dismay of everyone else.  He almost borderlines cringe inducing; luckily the songs have pretty contagious hooks that save them.  Another sore thumb is the Dylan light song “She Is So Bendable”, which just seems out of place with the rest of the sequenced songs, may have been better as a last track. The winner of that placement is “Sugarpill” which rolls off the end of the album like tumbleweed with no motivation.  One thing the Bravery promised before its release was a darker album, and that they definitely delivered on. Where “TSATM” left off with witty remarks on existentialism, “Stir The Blood” takes a more personal approach.  The darkness serves as its own highlight.  One of the best songs here sounds as though it is a rape fantasy with the one you love (Hatefuck), too bad it’s subject matter and title ensures it will never be a single.  The backbone of The Bravery remains intact with the new LP unfortunately the guts fall in upon itself making for a very uneven listen.  Several new directions are introduced but fail to have any real destination, making them more roadblocks then detours to something great.

(Grade C-) Highlights: “Hatefuck,” “Red Hands” and “White Knuckles”

Gay For Johnny Depp - “Manthology: a Tireless Exercise In Narcissism (November 30)

Featuring Gay for Johnny Depp’s “Excellent Cadavers” (December 1^st) It is hard to know where to start with a conundrum such as the band of Gay For Johnny Depp.  They’re a hardcore stint that sings highly homoerotic (mostly toward a certain well known “Pirates of The Caribbean” actor, in a very obsessive stalker sort of way) and extremely violent lyrics in a guttural yet falsetto tone.  They incorporate unusually long album and song titles riddled with vulgarity and sexuality.  This album doesn’t stray from the oddity that is G4JD, as it is an anthology from a band that has only released one previous album, several EP’s and a single remix song.  Usually anthologies are composed of the complete works of an artist; at just thirty-one songs this one is a little premature.

With all this craziness it is hard to imagine a good outcome, but somehow G4JD pull it off.  If you are squeamish this may not be for you. The heavily melodic obscenity-fueled banter brings you into the bands fantasy realm.  Which is full of angst, sex, and social change but not for the best.  Their world consists of angry aggressive gay fornication (which is in itself odd since I am pretty sure no one in the band is actually gay), overthrowing leaders and governments, and hating pretty much anything that has to do with capitalism, consumerism, or elitism.  Being hardcore the contemptuous but often hilarious lyrics are squealed or yelled, but if you listen hard enough you might find gems such as “Like fisting without lubricant It’s kinda fun to watch you bleed!” and “There is no such thing as bi-curious, you’re fucking gay and furious.” The Manthology goes from track to track of frantic songs that last usually under four minutes and pound your ears with full-blown pain and pleasure.  Many songs have crescendos or song-ending change ups that even the best of musicians would long to emulate.  Also interesting are the last four songs which may be a glimpse into the future of G4JD, with its psychedelic chants about insanity, a rhythmic remix by Blacksmoke, and two catchy shoe gazing instrumentals which for some reason do not seem out of place here.  Hopefully they’ll be able to continue the thrash and subtlety that give this “Manthology” ample life.

(Grade A) Highlights: “Seriously Ted,” “Just Admit It,” “Lights Out!,” “Belief In God Is So Adorable”

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