Low brow
Presidents of the United States of America "These Are The Good Times People"
The Presidents of the United States of America are back with their first new album in four years and, not surprisingly, they're up to their old poppy antics again. These Are the Good Times People features 14 tracks of silly pop-rock perfect for top-40 radio airwaves or your stupid little brother. Craig Ballew's cute and pathetic lyrics are in top form here, and the album has no lack of catchy hooks. But some songs are corny, like Truckstop Butterfly, which makes me want to curbstomp an entire generation of country-inspired songwriters. There's really nothing unique or special here, but it doesn't matter; these guys know how to write an infectuous pop song. It feels like 1995 all over again, except this time I'm not sitting at the back of the bus trying to figure out the complicated subtext behind the song Peaches. I'm just nodding my head with the beat, trying not to be seen by my friends.
-Andrew Sheivachman
Mid brow
DeVotchka "A Mad and Faithful Telling"
Devotchka manage to straddle the thin line between mediocre and boring throughout the entirety of their new album, A Mad and Faithful Telling. This mediocrity would be easier to stomach if their sound was not so gosh-darn intriguing. Devotchka combines elements of Slavic, Mariachi and Americana into the majority of their songs, creating what is a truly original sound. But now, six albums, an Oscar nomination and almost a decade into their career, Devotchka have yet to release a single album or song that rises above merely being "intriguing." This sort of emphasis on "sound and influences" over "songs and voice" might be acceptable for young up-and-coming bands struggling to establish their own niche in the music industry (Vampire Weekend anyone?), but coming from a band that has been doing this for almost 10 years, it is just tiresome.
-Phil Lindert
High brow
Why? "Alopecia"
If it weren't for my errant $20 bill and a distracted merch carnie, I never would have accidentally bought a Why? t-shirt at a Yo La Tengo concert, nor discovered this pop/hip-hop/folk gem. Alopecia, Why?'s third-length studio album, powers out indie pop laced with hip-hop, while also proving their continual lyrical self-awareness. The band raps on Good Friday: "Sucking dick for drink tickets at the free bar at my cousin's bat mitzvah/cutting the punch line like it ain't no joke." Why? maintains sight of the indie pop genre conventions while subverting them with their calculated lyrics. By prefacing the jingliest, poppy-pop song on the album Fatalist Palmistry ("your cat clawed out my eyes while I was distracted by your smile") with the jarring, digitized snarl of Gnashville, Alopecia deliberately spans the gamut, taking listeners through Why?'s most accessible repertoire yet.
-Laura Mayer
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