Print Edition: October 8, 2014
Moonface
City Wrecker
Spencer Krug, the yelping poet and composer of indie-rock bands Wolf Parade and Sunset Rubdown, released another collection of songs under the Moonface moniker on September 16, and it is the best thing he has done with the name yet. Continuing with the simple vocals-and-piano foundation he used on 2013’s Julia with Blue Jeans On, the songs on City Wrecker are more adventurous, occasionally incorporating the hypnotic synth arpeggiations that some feel make Krug’s earlier work as Moonface monotonous. Luckily for those folks, there is no monotony here, since the old tricks never feature for long and the compositions surprise and surprise (catch the Goosebumps theme in “Running in Place with Everyone”). Krug also moves further away from the violently surreal and obscure lyrics of his earlier work, and he’s getting better at it; lines like “don’t tie the blindfold quite so tight this time” linger long after the EP ends.
ALEX RAKE
Nick Carter, Jordan Knight
Nick & Knight
In 2011, boy bands New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys created a “supergroup” titled NKOTBSB. Jordan Knight of NKOTB and Nick Carter of BSB began working together to create the album, Nick and Knight. It was released on September 2. Nick & Knight consists of 10 tracks, including the single “One More Time.” Although the two are pop music vets, the album falls short. It is simply a construction of generic pop music, and is not memorable after an initial listen. The songs included are not catchy as previously released tracks by their respective bands. The standout tracks on Nick & Knight include: “Switch” and “Take Me Home.” While it is nice to have something released in between individual outings by New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys, Nick & Knight is simply incomplete.
REMINGTON FIORASO
Alestorm
Sunset on the Golden Age
The world of heavy metal is a very complicated one. There are hundreds of unique sub-genres, and Alestorm has found their own special niche. Specifically, Alestorm is a Scottish pirate-themed folk-metal band. It sounds ridiculous, but they commit to the genre — and if you can make it past the first laughing fit, they are great fun to listen to. There are some hits and misses on this album, but most of the tracks are straight-up fun. Just don’t listen to “Wooden Leg” — it’ s an objectively terrible song. Believe it or not, they cover a Taio Cruz song, “Hangover.” You can tell that the song was not written for them, but they make it their own. Other points of interest are “Drink,” a great, fun drinking song with a music video. Lastly, if you’re up for an immature laugh, listen to the bonus track, “Questing Upon the Poop Deck.”
DANIEL HOLMSBERG
