The CD as a whole is slightly reminiscent of January and November with an eccentric sounding beginning track and then the inducing overall calmness with tracks that have some of those undeniably familiar sounds one enjoys without even noticing their eyelids falling down to embrace the drum beat matching the high resonating first string. Also, like September, this CD has taken the time to feature the newest songs by the more known artists such as Ashlee Simpson, Lily Allen, Weezer and the surprising emergence of Portishead. The new tracks by Madonna and Mariah Carey, however, didn't quite make it this month. While the CD is dominated by songs released this April there are a few tracks even from last year playing catch-up. Of these new releases, artists such as Santogold and the Ting Tings are sure to become familiar radio names. Zooey Deschanel, proving that she might just be a triple threat, appears with two tracks from her band She and Him.
Tracks as follows:
1. While the Flies - Joy Formidable
- with an eerie beginning that submerges into the song and has a kind of chill but slightly poppy sound. They are barely a year old band of two dudes and a gal from England with quite a few tracks scaling the inter-web.
2. I'm A Lady - Santogold
- a former Artists and Repertoire Rep of Epic Records, this April came out with her debut album. Her voice in this track resembles an early Liz Phair at times, while her other tracks vary amongst styles.
3. Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)- Ashlee Simpson
- at first listen there's this Pat Benatar wanna be roughness (exemplary of most of her new CD) but her familiar and endearing immaturity comes through and even by second listen the fists should be waving and face resembling the throes of pain ready to slam the bedroom door in your parents' face of your inner teenage self.
4. M79 - Vampire Weekend
- a repeat artist with an impressive use of instruments you just don't hear often, incorporating a violin and a similar voice led crescendo as their song Oxford Comma that leads one into a well deserved music breakdown .
5. Freeze and Explode - Cassettes Won't Listen
- one of the many great finds of the month. This one-man out of New York produced his original LP in March with quite a few delightful yet also typical sounding tracks of the indie genre. This track certainly leads the CD compilation into the slow melodic turn that continues through.
6. Nylon Smile - Portishead
- a track that assures the Portishead devout that their sound has not changed after all these 10 years of silence and Live Albums (separation for solo works) and two years of production time on Third, released at the end of this month sticks out among the other tracks due to their signature style but was found necessary to include a song of a legend.
7. I Don't Know - Lily Allen
- "The unlike Lily Allen Lily Allen song" is one of the few tracks that Lily Rose Beatrice Allen had released under a "new direction" that was reported as her next step in the music industry. The track is certainly different with its slow tempo, however, she maintains her Lily Allen-esque fire with effortless swearing (she has a refreshing freeness to use swears that aren't angry or resistant in any way, just a natural flow of language: the British do it so well) and has this, this world can suck, message that makes her such a pleasure to listen to.
8. Victoria - Jukebox the Ghost
- another repeat artist for the ChipperDemon from October with "Hold It In." This track features a mix of the Darkness with the vocals and a happy energy that is not identifiable.
9. Lies - The Black Keys
- with their Rolling Stones guitar riff and old-school rock-blues this song brings it back to a slow, pain stake that the blues is unique for. The guitar interludes nod the head while the Mick Jagger-esque voice leads you through. This song is also off of their album that was just released this April under the title, Attack and Release.
10 Myriad Harbour - The New Pornographers
- formed in 1997 the band produced the album Challengers last year which has a kind of fun sing talk with sharp guitar harmonized with violin that just makes you bop and want to sing-along.
11. Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She and Him
- possibly the most noted track off of this star-produced album, Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward with influunces from Jason Schwartzman. While not entirely surprising that that is what Zooey Deschanel sounds like it is impressive with her kind of old-style yet remains very unique.
12. Great DJ -Ting Tings
- their debut album, We Started Nothing, is to be release in May while a few of their tracks have already been commercialized through iTunes and ChipperDemon's friend, Calvin Harris who has covered this track popularizing among the blogs. Their other popular track, Shut Up and Let Me go.
13. You'll Find A Way - Santogold
- This is one of the examples of how Santogold has a variety within her style of singing and song composition. Going from a kind of Liz Phair to a more Nelly Furtado fun-ness.
14. Leader - Phantom Planet
- This would be Jason Schwartzman's second influence on the CD, the former drummer of the band when they produced the famous track, California, used for the OC's theme song. This song has a far more new-indie sound with its chorus-like singing that is childhood reminiscent and maintains an upbeat beat.
15. Pork and Beans - Weezer
- from the Red Album to be released the track starts with a Cake flacidness but gets to their familiar sound of power chord heavy, slow drum beat signature style chorus. Has similar message as Beverly Hills.
16. Woke Up New - The Mountain Goats
- one of many singles by this dude duet (musician and producer) that can be found popping up sporadically on the radio waves with an undeniably catchy bridge of, "What do I do?" The song sticks out among the other tracks with its commercial guitar lightly strummed driven lonely boy song and its Colin Hay sadness that one can't help but identify with.
17. Paper Float - Cassettes Won't Listen
- the only other artist to appear twice on the CD (along with Santogold) with this more lyrically strong song that has a slow beat matching the message and lyrics perfectly that the light fingered piano leads into. The image of drifting on a float of paper is an image that resonates and pushes the band up for lyrical recognition.
18. Careful What You Pack - They Might Be Giants
- a song from last year of the creators of the Malcom in the Middle Soundtrack, Boss of Me. The track has simple lyrics but a familiarity of moving on and a chorus that slowly bobs the head and taps the steering wheel as the head raises to match vocal crescendo of the chorus.
19. In A Cave - Tokyo Police Club
- A very typical Canadian indie sounding song from a very typical Canadian indie band from their week-old released album, Elephant Shell, but is just well done and therefore appears on this compilation.
20. How Now - The Jealous Girlfriends
- simply chosen for their band title and the lyric, "You can bury me with you smile, they're one and the same and I won't blame you for trying" cheesy but still syncs with the catchy melody. This track and the above are perhaps two tracks too many, but no need to waste disk space.
Bonus Tracks
Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She and Him
Smell Yo' Dick - Riskay
April 2008
I Have Taste In Music Ballot
results:
I'm a Lady - Santogold = 1 vote
I Don't Know - Lily Allen = 2 votes
Lies - The Black Keys = 1 vote
Why Do You Let Me Stay Here - She and Him = 1 vote
You'll Find a Way - Santogold = 1 vote
