Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: The Weekly

Low Brow

Ashlee Simpson

"Bittersweet World"(Geffen)

Simpson, the 7th Heaven regular turned calculated rock 'n' roll rebel, returns with her third album, Bittersweet World, in which she trashes the guitar pop feel of previous releases and upgrades to a fun, beat-driven electro-rock sound. This is a party album, plain and simple. From start to finish, Simpson keeps the energy up and gives us just enough time to grab some punch before heading back to the dance floor. Standout tracks include the radio-friendly "Boys" - a neon redux of the Cardigans' "Love Fool" doused in ska. The title track grooves like a rockabilly record with the doo-wop of Motown, and the airy, piano-based "Never Dream Alone" is a sudden but surprisingly refreshing close, similar to Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors." Amidst all these different sounds, Simpson can come off as trying too hard, but these tracks are so slickly produced that they work.

Sean Massich



Mid Brow

Brian Jonestown Massacre

My Bloody Underground (a Records)

Picking on the more fortunate has always been Anton Newcombe's favorite pastime. Newcombe - founder, multi-instrumentalist and infamously unpredictable leader of the BJM - splatters his song titles with pejorative references to R.E.M., McCartney, Jesus and the Executive Branch, practically begging us to wince. But he avoids becoming a cranky sycophant, producing a great record by providing acoustic depth beneath the lyrical shock value. Sonically, Underground owes a clear debt to the droning, wall-of-sound instrumentation pioneered by The Jesus and Mary Chain. And it works in much the same way, using slight variations of riffs and leitmotifs to establish and then gently erode the framework of the song, revealing a shifting, magnetic core. Despite a few missteps, the transition of Newcombe's gaze from his navel to his shoe is a rewarding one.

Kyle Berlin



High Brow

Graham Lambkin & Jason Lescalleet

The Breadwinner (Erstwhile)

Graham Lambkin and Jason Lescalleet's The Breadwinner plays out like the slow build and gradual decay of the sounds that you hear late at night while lying in your bed trying desperately to fall asleep. The more you try to ignore the crackling of the radiator, the more it sounds like a rhythm. And so it is with The Breadwinner: the more that it sounds like absolute nothingness, the more it begins to sound like music. Lambkin and Lescalleet have not crafted an accessible album by any means here, but they have created music that is deeply moving and hauntingly beautiful. This is an album for those looking towards the outskirts of music for something astonishing. It may take a little time to wrap your head around the sound of clanking glasses or low audio hiss, but those that do will find that this is one of the most rewarding and brilliant albums of the year.

Phil Lindert

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