Les Savy Fav - Root for Ruin

Sound-a-likes: Franz Ferdinand, Tapes 'n Tapes, Tokyo Police Club, Japandroids, The Futureheads, Bloc Party, Royal Bangs

That's a pretty attractive set of sound-a-likes up there, isn't it? I'd say Root for Ruin is a healthy balance of the elements that bring those bands together; simple but engaging melodies, angry lyrics that are on the verge of being yelled at times, a quick pace to most songs, overlapping/spacey guitars, and shuffling drums that move the songs along. In a few words, simple, flat indie punk rock. But there's something so irresistibly catchy about that combo that makes listening to just a fragment of a song without getting hooked very hard.

Basically, Root for Ruin is very appealing to lovers of this type of music and to relative newcomers to Les Savy Fav (like me), but it's not the 3-dimensional record that hardcore fans of this band might have been hoping for.



-Julian

Julian/Owen's Favorite Albums

Here's a somewhat long list of albums we love the most. We might add a couple over time. Feel free to comment and tell us yours!

The Apples in Stereo - Tone Soul Evolution
Andrew Bird - Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs
Arcade Fire - Funeral
The Beatles - Sgt. Peppers'/Revolver
Beck - Midnite Vultures
Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister/Dear Catastrophe Waitress
Ben Folds Five - Whatever & Ever Amen
Bob Dylan - Blonde on Blonde
Bob Marley and The Wailers - Legend
Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It In People
Built to Spill - Perfect From Now On
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Coldplay - Parachutes/A Rush of Blood to the Head
Cut Copy - Bright Like Neon Love
Death Cab - Transatlanticism/The Photo Album
Elliott Smith - XO
Elvis Costello - Imperial Bedroom
The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin/Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy
The Morning Benders - Big Echo
Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
Nick Drake - Bryter Layter
The Octopus Project - Hello, Avalanche
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon/Meddle
Radiohead - The Bends/OK Computer/In Rainbows
Ra Ra Riot - The Rhumb Line
Ron Sexsmith - Time Being
The Shins - Wincing the Night Away
The Smiths - The Smiths/The Queen is Dead
Snow Patrol - Final Straw
Stars - Set Yourself On Fire
Tapes 'n Tapes - The Loon
U2 - All That You Can't Leave Behind
The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico
The White Stripes - White Blood Cells
Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
The xx - xx

-Julian/Owen

Preview: Best Movies I've Seen This Summer

Dear readers of Really Important Reviews (not including my family, about 10 people),
I have not had much time to release my film reviews because I have been working on my film education and I will release a list of my favorite movies I have seen this summer soon. It will be good.
-Brendan

Top 40 Beck Songs

A list of my favorite Beck songs. In the words of Beck, "Please enjoy, HELL YES."

-Julian

40. Gamma Ray











39. Broken Train











38. Totally Confused











37. Gold Chains











36. Dark Star











35. Rental Car











34. Soldier Jane











33. Think I'm In Love











32. Soul Suckin' Jerk











31. Qué Onda Guero?











30. Profanity Prayers











29. Jack-Ass











28. Deadweight











27. Diamond Bollocks











26. Peaches & Cream











25. Missing











24. Nobody's Fault But My Own











23. Lazy Flies











22. Girl











21. Paper Tiger











20. Hotwax











19. Debra











18. Loser











17. Static











16. Novacane











15. Tropicalia











14. The Golden Age











13. Pressure Zone











12. Milk & Honey











11. Cellphone's Dead











10. Nicotine & Gravy











9. The New Pollution











8. Beercan











7. Lord Only Knows











6. Sexx Laws











5. Cold Brains











4. Timebomb











3. E-Pro











2. Mixed Bizness











1. Devil's Haircut











Almost made it:
Bottle of Blues
Fuckin' With My Head
Lost Cause
Ramshackle
Black Tambourine
Modern Guilt
Replica
Orphans

Wavves - King of the Beach

Sound-a-likes: Jay Reatard, Surfer Blood, Free Energy, Male Bonding

There's no doubt that Nathan Williams is a decent song writer, and this shines on songs like When Will You Come, Baseball Cards, and Mickey Mouse, which stick out from all the noisy, guitar-rock happening, long enough to keep me interested and make the album more diverse. However, some of the vocals and lyrics on King of the Beach tend to come off as a little bratty and irritating, like on the chorus of Post Acid, or in the songs Take On the World and Green Eyes; "I still hate my music, it's all the same......my own friends hate my guts, so what, who gives a fuck". I just wish he'd lighten up a bit and/or write better lyrics.

And I know Williams wanted to make a different record when he adopted Jay Reatard's old backing band, but I'll admit, I miss the fuzz and lo-fi. It's what made his second album Wavvves so original and embracing to me. But regardless, this is still a fun record, and his ability to write catchy, empty-headed surf rock tunes still makes King of the Beach worth a listen.

For those of you who, like me, enjoy the distorted side of Wavves, problem solved.



-Julian