Reincarnation...

Welcome to the redone site, Escalator Music, where you can get album reviews once a week, and some sort of "feature" on music at least twice a month. I decided to just concentrate on music on the site, hoping that it would get me into a more steady posting routine. So, here's the first week of reviews... some big name albums on tap...

Reviews - week of 10/3/06

Big release of the week:

The Killers - "Sam's Town" - C+

Hype... The Killers garner tons of it. Possibly for good reason, their debut album, "Hot Fuss," was a monster; both on airplay, and sales. Which makes one wonder why they decided to so drastically change their sound for their follow-up disc, "Sam's Town." Think of a "Born to Run"-era Springsteen, mixed with some U2, covered by The Killers... this is the sound you get this time around.
Which isn't to say it's bad music, just something more built up than the stripped down sounds of songs like "Andy, Your'e A Star." The first single, "When You Were Young," is a perfect example of the new sound the Killers are aiming for. If you like it, you should dig the new album. If you don't, you might find yourself struggling through each track.
Give them credit for trying something different? Maybe... Change is always the key of longevity in the music industry, but such a quick transformation could throw some fans off, especially since the Killers are a "new" band.

Album of the Week:

Beck - "The Information" - A

Steering clear of the sample heavy sounds that made up Beck's last album, "Guero," Beck and producer Nigel Godrich bring funky live music throughout "The Information." The album represents three years of work, and Beck definitely shines on the broad musical soundscape.
As I have already talked about, change of the key to longevity in music, and Beck has mastered the art of changing his sound. This album is somewhere smack dab in the middle of his break-beat, rap drenched albums and his introspective, acoustic guitar filled sound. The result is another stellar album by Beck, who still hasn't lost that fresh sound he had when he jumped onto the scene in 1994.
If you are a fan of Beck this album is a must purchase. It's one of the best albums to come out this year.

Other Notable Releases:

Jet - "Shine On" - B-

Jet exploded onto the scene two years ago with a huge single, "Are You Gonna Be My Girl?," and had enough bullets in the chamber to stick around for a while. They expand on their sound on their follow up disc, "Shine On," but still have yet to find their actual direction.
Half of "Shine On" is fashioned in the style of "Rollover DJ" and "Cold Hard Bitch," while the other half will find the boys opening their heart as they did on "Look What You've Done."
There's nothing groundbreaking here, just more music in the style of their debut, with not as many potential hit singles. Either way, "Shine On" seems to be a logical stepping stone, and should lay the groundwork for more good music from the band.

Reissue of the week:

Kool Keith - "Sex Style" - B

After the breakout critical acclaim of "Dr. Octagon," Kool Keith decided to break away from the production of The Automator, and followed up with 1997's "Sex Style," produced mainly by his now longtime collaborator Kutmaster Kurt.
Throughout the 17 tracks here, Keith bobs and weaves through Kurt's beats with his off-kilter flow, spitting rhymes that range from sex to sex. More specifically, "bustin' off, oral sex, anal sex, and anything else kinky that comes to mind. It's Keith in classic form.
If you are a fan of Keith, this album is a must-have, and since it's only been repressed to 7,500 copies, you should scoop it up quickly. This is not the album to introduce new fans to Kool Keith, the combination of the subject matter and unusual flow will turn off any newcomer for sure.