Coming Attractions

Next week, in a review bonanza, I'll offer my take on three yet-to-be-released albums. How exciting! I almost feel like a relevant music journalist!

1. My Morning Jacket - "Evil Urges" (June 10th*)
2. Wolf Parade - "At Mount Zoomer" (June 17th*)
3. The Hold Steady - "Stay Positive" (July 15th*)

*date of North American release

In other Erik Review news, I'll start labeling highly recommended, newly-reviewed albums as "Top Tunes" so that readers can more quickly find my most endorsed albums. If you have any other ideas for useful, non-distracting features I could add to my humble site, let me know.

"Sweet Love for Planet Earth"

I don't know what to say. Consider this song to have left me speechless. The band is Fuck Buttons, and I realize I'm a Pitchfork-reading sheep for liking them. I don't care. This song is too fucking good to ignore.



I'll offer up a full review once I have the entire album and some time to think about it.

Is R.E.M. Back on Track?

I'm going to be honest, I haven't enjoyed an R.E.M. record since the departure of Bill Berry following "New Adventures in Hi-Fi" (which I felt was arguably the band's finest album). Hell, I even put their first-ever live album on my most disappointing albums of 2007 list. They might not be artistically dead yet though. Their forthcoming "Accelerate", which arrives April 1st, has been proceeded by one of their best singles in recent memory, "Supernatural Superserious" (video below). Sure it's not "Drive", but let's be reasonable here.

Also of note: I have three (!) half-written reviews, which explains why A) there haven't been any new ones in two weeks and B) the upcoming boom that will occur in posting next week.

Lupe Fiasco: Chicago's Finest MC

Sorry Common. Sorry Kanye. Lupe Fiasco has taken over the Windy City. "Food and Liquor" witnessed Lupe sucessfully finding his identity and niche as a rapper. Early singles from his forthcoming "The Cool" suggest he is now expanding upon that identity and setting himself apart further, with a sound and rhyme flow unique to himself.

"Superstar"


"Dumb It Down"


Unfortunately, he still is victim to second-tier production. When he finally is able to escape low-budget beats, and is able to actually get production up to the level of his rhymes, we'll be looking at a triumph on the level of Clipse's "Hell Hath No Fury" and Cannibal Ox's "The Cold Vein".

Coming Attractions:

Albums slated for review in November:

1. Sigur Rós - Hvarf/Heim
2. Les Savy Fav - Let's Stay Friends
3. Jay-Z - American Gangster
4. Jens Lekman - Night Falls Over Kortedala
5. Echo and the Bunnymen - Crocodiles (classic review)
6. (the winner of the current poll)

Keep listening.

(Note: Lupe Fiasco's "The Cool" had its release date pushed back to December 18th, so I obviously won't be reviewing it this month.)