University of San Diego Radio

Why you would put a slash in your band’s name is beyond me. Akron/Family. Is it implying you can call them Akron or Family? Akron and Family? Akron divided by Family?

Quibbles with name aside, I have to say that “Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free” is one of the most interesting albums of 2009. “Set ‘Em Wild” is the fourth album by Akron/Family, and is the first album since the departure of founding member Ryan Vanderhoof, who left the group to live in a Buddhist Dharma center in the Midwest. That’s one hell of a way to lose a member.

The first track, “Everyone Is Guilty,” puts the album off to a confusing start, sounding like Battles if they were freak-folk. The song runs long, and is soothing yet jarring, with a hint of shouting tossed in the song. After the first two minutes, things get serious, and you shake your head in amazement at the fact that Akron/Family consists of three members.

The musical ability of Akron/Family could be compared to Manny Pacquiao, pound for pound, they may be one of the fullest sounding musical trios I’ve ever heard. At times you get a vibe sounding a bit like Broken Social Scene, who commands a hefty 19 members.

Standout tracks include “Everyone is Guilty,” which tricks you from the start into thinking you’re listening to something completely different from what you’re actually listening to. If you’re thinking, “that makes no sense,” you now know how I feel about the track. Other songs worth listening to are “Sun Will Shine” and “Creatures,” which sees chanting mixed with electronic sounds and horns.

The end of the album heads into a mellower territory, straying away from the lively introduction, and tends to sound a lot like Fleet Foxes. The entire album manages to sound much more like a playlist than an album, as if the band got together and said, “let’s just make good music, forget what we’re supposed to sound like.” This may just be a luxury of the way their band is arranged, with everyone singing and playing multiple instruments.

Overall, I think “Set ‘Em Wild, Set ‘Em Free” is continuing a trend of solid spring album releases, and one can hope that this will never end.

Listening to “My Maudlin Career” is like sending your ears into a ghost of a time machine while listening to whispers of the past. Somehow though, you can tell that the music is temporary, and that the siren singing soothing sweet-nothings is none other than Camera Obscura’s Tracyanne Campbell.

Glaswegian band Camera Obscura is often compared to fellow Scots Belle and Sebastian, though they definitely possess their own spirit. For those who aren’t trained etymologists, maudlin means “tearfully or weakly emotional; foolishly sentimental” (according to dictionary.com). Listening to the album, you can definitely feel the sentimental vibe.

Standout tracks include “French Navy,” “Careless Love” and “Honey in the Sun.” Listening to “French Navy” you can just imagine people smiling and laughing on top of their classic cars wearing their letterman jackets and swaying back and forth to the music. You can imagine most of these songs being played at a prom from the past, baby blue tuxedoes and all.

Even with all the gushing emotion, you can sense a dual aspect to the album that isn’t readily noticeable. With the melancholy drowning out your ears, the heavy instruments and sad vocals, you can still sense an underlying snarkiness. Compared to other recent releases that have been influenced by electronic music, or indie bands who have been trying “too hard” to be different, “My Maudlin Career” is a breath of fresh air.

Although not necessarily heavy in nature, “My Maudlin Career” is a light breeze of an album, relatively short at 46 minutes, and relatively mellow in content. It is melancholic, but strays far from depressing, it is airy, but far from empty. Like last week’s “Swoon,” by Silversun Pickups, Camera Obscura’s latest release is another diversion, something to fill your ears.

If you’re looking to throw a middle school dance anytime in the near future with kids from the past, be sure to grab a copy of “My Maudlin Career” to provide a soundtrack while you watch the boys and girls awkwardly split to opposite sides of the room. Or put it on when you’re driving down the countryside in your baby blue classic convertible wearing a scarf flying in the wind. Both occasions work.

Apparently I was living under a rock for part of 2006 and most of 2007, as I’ve never heard of Silversun Pickups, and when I mention this fact to anyone that has, they assert the aforementioned hypothesis.

“You haven’t heard them? They’re like the new Smashing Pumpkins!”

“Calm down, I get it, they’re awesome,” I say to them, as I inch further towards the door.

Ever the one to succumb to peer pressure, today I review for you the sophomore effort of Silversun Pickups.

The music of Silversun Pickups, when not being compared to the Smashing Pumpkins, is usually thrown into the classification of shoegaze. While their music is distorted, messy and dreamy at times, it is far from shoegaze. The vocals of Brian Aubert, albeit hazy and a tad feminine, is far too clear and could better be classified as dream pop.

That being said, “Swoon” is dim, not dark, hazy or opaque and generally a half-baked album. Not to say it’s bad, but the music seems to reach somewhere and not quite make it. The album doesn’t seem to be completely cohesive as a whole, similar to an assorted dozen donuts. While the tracks are all tracks that sound similar, some have sprinkles while others have chocolate, and they aren’t connected to each other, besides the fact they’re donuts.

Criticisms aside, the album is enjoyable to listen to and their first single, “Panic Switch,” is a catchy teaser for those new to the ways of Silversun. Standout tracks include the enigmatic “Growing Old is Getting Old,” “Sort Of” and the opening track “There’s No Secrets This Year.” The music maintains a serious nature throughout the album, while also maintaining a sound that feels like wisps of smoke entering your ears into your dreams. Seriously.

“Swoon” is overall a well-constructed album. If it were being scored on the SATs, it’d fall into the 90th percentile. “Swoon” is a nice retro-esque yet refreshing album to listen to on a rainy afternoon. The music isn’t necessarily ground-breaking, but neither is a California burrito. But in the same way that California burritos are a nice way to pass the time, “Swoon” does the same.

When looking for albums to review for this week, I was torn between Flo Rida and CunninLynguists. Just kidding, if I hear “Right Round” by Flo Rida one more time I’m going to be googling “bridges in San Diego.”

Anyways, CunninLynguists are a Southern hip hop group consisting of rappers Deacon the Villain, Natti and Kno. Veritable vets of the underground hip hop game, they’ve shared the stage with artists as varied as People Under the Stairs to Kanye West to The Strokes.

With a general disregard for the word “genre,” CunninLynguists have gained acclaim by sampling from a wide variety of genres while also maintaining a wit not seen commonly in the genre. With lyrics covering topics ranging from Google Earth to marijuana, CunninLynguists have a sound that just feels good, that has been described by some as “too white for BET, too black for MTV2.”

Though they are underground, their production is anything but. Members of the CunninLynguists have produced for artists such as KRS-One, Ruff Ryders, Devin the Dude, D-12 and Immortal Technique, among others. The production and overall style are similar to the artist Rhymefest, a Chicago-based rapper who has also done work with Kanye West. There are also similarities to Atmosphere in the lyrical style.

Though “Strange Journey Volume One” only contains two new songs, with the rest being remixes and a single live track, it still manages to be a good example of recycling (like recycled paper that isn’t dirty looking). The tracks, even the remixes, manage to be fresh and play in with the album. Rather than a compilation or a mixtape, the album manages to have an original vibe.

The first single, “Never Come Down (The Brownie Song),” was released in February and can be found on their MySpace, myspace.com/cunninlynguists. Standout tracks include “Hypnotized” and “Don’t Leave,” the latter track featuring Slug of Atmosphere.

If you haven’t heard of CunninLynguists before this review, I wouldn’t recommend using this album as your first exposure to the group. If you’re interested in checking them out, take a look at or pick up “Dirty Aces,” which they released in 2007 to critical acclaim. For long-time fans, Strange Journey Volume One is definitely worth picking up, regardless of the “mixtape-ish” nature of the album.

Seriously though, how can anyone stand that “Right Round” song? Only Adam Sandler can sing that song.

“The Hazards of Love” is The Decemberists’ latest 17-track foray into folk rock storytelling. “Hazards” is their fifth album and it attempts to break traditional barriers of music and plays more like a continuous fairy tale rather than a collection of songs. I would recommend listening to it in one sitting before passing judgment. (Although it is a bit taxing to sit and listen to the album straight for 58 minutes and 36 seconds.)

The album revolves around a cast of characters who live near a forest, including a woman named Margaret and her lover William, “a shape-shifting forest dweller.” It features love, murder and a myriad of other plot elements rarely seen in music. This is not an album that will be spawning many singles or catchy Billboard hits. Rather, what’s audible is a story with charming tracks that attempt to capture the listener’s imagination.

“The Hazards of Love” follows three years after the release of “The Crane Wife,” which was widely accepted by critics as one of the band’s best efforts and was named the Best Album of 2006 by listeners of National Public Radio. There are a few parallels, with “The Crane Wife” also being related to a Japanese folk tale and somewhat narrative-based.

This is not an album you can listen to while working out or at a party. Just like you wouldn’t drink a glass of cabernet at a kegger (I pray that none of you ever do), “Hazards” has its place in the musical listen-o-sphere, and its place is located in the part of your day when you’re in the mood to listen to fairy tales of shape-shifting forest dwellers, a forest queen and the drama that ensues.

All kidding aside, the album is not entirely strange shuffled around, but it definitely has to be listened to in order at least once to make any sort of sense. With this in mind, standout tracks include “The Rake’s Song,” “Isn’t it a Lovely Night” and “The Wanting Comes in Waves.”

I applaud The Decemberists’ effort in making an album that breaks traditional molds and takes a step farther towards weird than mainstream bands do. “Hazards” is an enjoyable forest romp (did I just say that?) that might tickle your music bone and make you wonder what exactly a shape-shifting forest dweller is doing dwelling in a forest.

“It’s Blitz!” is a shift for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, a mellow departure from previous albums like “Fever to Tell.” The gasping, screaming and shouting are replaced with sultry and smooth vocals from front woman Karen O. Gone are the grunge and dirt of past tracks like “Rich,” instead we see synth-pop influenced tracks like “Zero” and “Heads Will Roll.”

Although the album was originally set for release on April 13, the label changed the date to March 31 after it leaked to the Internet. Spring appears to be a prime season for leaks, with bands The Decemberists and Metric also experiencing leaks of their upcoming albums.

The album is definitely different, as if reacting to the shift of the musical landscape towards electronic music. However, “It’s Blitz!” isn’t an adjustment towards current trends, but rather an acknowledgement and an evolution for the band. It sounds like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, but not exactly. Rather, it sounds like the pod people version of them. (But good pod people, not the evil ones in movies).

One of the highlights of the album is the danceable “Heads Will Roll,” which will most likely become an anthem for teenage girls getting ready to party. The album plays almost like a movie, with upbeat tracks like “Soft Shock” shifting into a more eerie tone set by “Runaway.” “Dragon Queen” is just a cool track and evokes the image of rock goddess Karen O swaying back and forth, head tilted down seductively, while seducing hordes of men. Seriously. Words to describe the album: eerie, upbeat, electric, dreamy and earthy.

With the critical acclaim the Yeah Yeah Yeahs have received in the past for their albums “Fever to Tell” and “Show Your Bones,” one might think they would be due for a cool down. One would be dead wrong. “It’s Blitz!” strikes like lightning, and is easily one of the best releases of what is starting to look like a musically promising 2009. The digital version of the album was released March 9, and the CD will be released March 31. Thank the leakers for letting us experience this gem of an album a month early.

Hip hop’s biggest villain, Daniel Dumile (more famously known as MF DOOM) is set to wreak havoc on hip hop with a new solo album after a lengthy five year hiatus. Although Dumile has been actively collaborating with artists like Madlib and Danger Mouse, “Born Like This” will herald the return of Dumile’s alter-ego MF DOOM, who is now known simply as DOOM.

DOOM’s persona borrows heavily from his comic book inspiration, Doctor Doom, who is a fictional character from the Fantastic Four comic book franchise. Originally known as Zev Love X in the early 90′s, DOOM took a number of years off after the loss of his brother, only to return with a new identity and a penchant for wearing masks while performing.

The promo sampler for “Born Like This” features five tracks, and is definitely in line with DOOM’s original rap stylings. The album is heavy with samples from vintage television shows, giving it a retro-esque feel similar to his last solo album as MF DOOM, “MM..Food.”

The tracks are shorter than typical hip hop tracks with some running as short as a minute and 30 seconds. Tracks focus more on concise rapping rather than choruses or other elements that would normally affect radio-playability.

The production style is a far cry from contemporary hip hop, and is a throwback to the days of 90′s hip hop. Most of the tracks feature a story-line, with narratives dominating the songs rather than hooks or smack-talking.

Although I’m glad DOOM is coming out with a new album, I can’t help but wish that it was another album produced by Danger Mouse. I love his work as MF DOOM and Viktor Vaughn, but “The Mouse and the Mask” is one of my favorite hip hop albums of all time.

DOOM’s skills as a producer are reflected in his “Special Herbs” series, but I would love for DOOM and Danger Mouse to make an album that doesn’t entirely promote Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim. Look for “Born Like This” at your favorite record store or iTunes on March 24.

Almost four years after their sophomore album, “You Could Have It So Much Better,” Scottish rock band Franz Ferdinand released their third album, “Tonight: Franz Ferdinand.”

After releasing two albums within a period of a year and a half, I’m assuming there was a long hiatus where they tried to figure out how to get another song into Guitar Hero (the first being their hit single “Take Me Out”). The album undoubtedly sounds like Franz Ferdinand of days past, but there’s a distinct change in their style. In various interviews, the band has explained that the theme of the album is supposed to resemble a night out. This late-night theme is shared by both the musical style and the album cover, which features a fake crime scene photo.

The album undoubtedly sounds like something you’d hear at a modern speakeasy if alcohol was banned. With a darker, almost sketchier vibe, the album explores some electronic elements while sticking to their original and unmistakable style. The album’s emotions head up and down as the track “What She Came For” almost gets angry near the end before heading into the melancholy yet upbeat “Live Alone.” The track “Dream Again” sounds, well, dreamy. The album plays more like an ongoing story throughout its tracks, with the connection between the tracks being the story itself and not so much the musical style. If you don’t believe me, listen to “Dream Again” and then listen to “Katherine Kiss Me” and tell me if you think they sound like they’re from the same album.

Tonight: Franz Ferdinand” is a valiant third effort by Franz Ferdinand, and it seems like it will bridge the gap to a riskier fourth album in the future. Although it may not achieve the commercial success of their first two albums, it is a great “dance-y” album and one I heartily recommend. I promise it will make you feel like you’re in a shady speakeasy.