When I came back from vacation this year, I started listening to Kiss 92.5 FM because they had a format change from classic rock? to top 40 radio. They had no DJ (I guess they didn’t hire anyone yet) so it was only music and commercials. That was great! Then they started adding a morning show, and other DJs. So it was back to listening to burned MP3 CDs. Here’s what was on my latest:

• Cut Copy – In Ghost Colors
  I downloaded their single Lights and Magic off of iTunes awhile ago and it was pretty good, but I never got around to listening to this album until I saw a lot of random people wearing Cut Copy shirts in Seoul. I’m glad I did, because this is a really good album. None of the tracks are standouts, but they all sound interesting. The entire album is mixed together (i.e., you can’t shuffle it) and there’s a really good vibe coming from the album. I can’t describe it, it’s not an album to “chill” too but there is a relaxing feeling from the upbeat songs. This will be a purchase.
• Pet Shop Boys – Yes
  PSB have been around forever, and I guess their disco still sells. This double CD is half vintage PSB sound and half house remixes. It’s all listenable but I like the house tracks better. The A-side has too many tracks that sound and feel like filler tracks.
• Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
  I’ve liked Phoenix for awhile, but when I first heard this album I wasn’t too impressed. But I gave it another chance by putting it into my rotation and it’s not that bad after repeated listens! (love the iPod drum machine on this vid!)
• Serena Ryder – Is It Ok?
  This one is an odd one. I downloaded this on a whim and surprised myself when I liked her songs. The music on this album sound like it was written for the cowboys in Western Canada (although it’s not really country), yet the lyrics are so clever and her voice is ironically catchy. She sounds like her voice is shaking because she’s performing for the first time and is very nervous. If you missed it, here was my last blog on Serena Ryder
• TV On The Radio – Dear Science
  I added this album because I keep seeing TV On The Radio pushed on various TV shows. It sucks. The songs aren’t catchy save for Family Tree. Somehow Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Spin, MTV, Entertainment Weekly and Pitchfork rated this as the best album of 2008. What groupthink paid for that?
• The Juan Maclean – The Future Will Come
  This is another electronic artist that I found about from iTunes. Their single One Day is really catchy but their lofi style doesn’t work for me for the other tracks.
• Promo Only August and September
  August had some good songs, September not so much. I’ve never liked Colbie Caillat until I fell for this song.

  Great summer song, why did they release it at the end of summer?

Posted by Kevin in Blogs Tags: cdspinoff, driving, music, radio