Studs and Duds

Hey all, here's my latest edition of the article-formerly-known-as "Buy and Don't Buy" now currently known as the less blatantly market-oriented "Studs and Duds." Although, it would be more accurate to name it "I spend my lunch hour alone and bored in my office". Complete with cover art this time!

STUDS...

San Serac - Professional (Frog Man Jake)

A Massachusetts based synth-pop artist obsessed with Bowie, Talking Heads, The Human League and Nihilism. What's not to like? Professional is the first collaboration between San Serac and former Junior Boy Johnny Dark, and the results are incredibly pleasing. I've always found Dark to be one of the best producers working right now (my only complaint about the last Jr. Boys album was that it lacked the awesome beats Dark contributed to Last Exit). But he's also the type of artist that needs to be working with someone with more pop sensibilities than himself. He had this with Jeremy Greenspan when he was part of Junior Boys, and he has it again with San Serac. "Fairlight" in particular should be the summer hit of the year. But of course that won't happen, what with "Lip Gloss" tearing up the charts.

Von Sudenfed - Tromatic Reflexxions (Domino)

The First collaboration between the Fall's Mark E. Smith and Mouse on Mars, and it's quite the success. While it doesn't come near the brilliance of previous Fall albums (such as Grotesque, Hex Enduction Hour or This Nation's Saving Grace), it is most definitely an improvement on their latest album. It seems too natural that Mark E. Smith would put out an electronic album. The similarities between groups like Devo, The Fall, the Slits and electronic groups like Mouse on Mars, Burial, Kode 9, and Junior Boys are far to great to ignore anymore. This album does just that, bringing together an iconic post-punk figure with electronic elite. The results are truly satisfying.

Delta 5 -Singles & Sessions 1979-81 (Kill Rock Stars)

This came out two years ago, but I haven't had an opportunity to really look into it until recently. It's the first full-length release by the legendary Leeds-based band (can you be legendary when people remember you only after you re-release your old 7 inch's). This is for fans of Gang of Four and Mekons as it is a great celebration of what was one of the better music scenes of the last few decades (namely the Leeds University Art School). It's the birth of Art-Rock and it's pleasing to go back to time and time again.

DUDS...

Battles - Mirrored

Just one dud this week (although I could lump the new Fantastic Four Movie in hereas well), and it's one I've already talked about before. I've given this album all I've got and I just can't get behind it. Considering it's being marketed as a "Post-Rock" album, a genre that has given us far too much great stuff to be thrown around so lightly (a.k.a. Tortoise, Slint, Chicago Underground Duo etc ...), I can't see this as anything but a failure. To quote the music writer Woebot 'Post-Rock was about deconstructing rock music, not playing prog'. From the Album cover all the way down, it appears Battles have unfortunately missed this point altogether.