Gold Sounds: "Making up for lost time" reviews post

Hey, it's been awhile since I've written any reviews. Here are a couple to make up for lost time:

Sebastien Grainger - Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains

One listen through ex-Death from Above 1979 guy Sebastien Grainger's debut solo album reveals Grainger's passion: creating booty-shaking rock music. Every track on the album (with the exception of the momentum-killing piano ballad "Love Is Not a Contest") delivers bass-heavy rock with wailing vocals, with "Love Can Be So Mean," "I Hate My Friends" and "American Names" especially showcasing what Grainger is capable of. As a whole, however, the album's songs are slightly primitive musically and lyrically, but hey, who needs those things to have a good time, right?

"Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains" is out now courtesy of Saddle Creek Records.

Listen: Sebastien Grainger

Miniature Tigers - Tell it to the Volcano

Clever lyrics and melodic sensibilities add up to one of the year's most enjoyable pop albums, with some songs (like the ridiculously catchy "Dino Damage") adding synth into the guitar/bass/drums mix. The excellent title track "Tell it to the Volcano" exemplifies this formula and, believe it or not, is slightly reminiscent of both "Under the Sea" from The Little Mermaid and "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, pt. 1" by The Flaming Lips (though the band steers clear of the experimentalism on most Flaming Lips albums). The band's lyrics provide specificity and details often absent from most music of this sort, which is never a bad thing ("I watched you through your window/I was wearing that dumb sweatshirt/I looked like a goon/I was dressed for winter even though it was the middle of June," and "You moved up close/I could feel your sweat/I kissed you on the neck and you got wet" are some prime examples). Overall, this is a great alternative to that Vampire Weekend album you've probably worn out by now.

"Tell it to the Volcano" is out now courtesy of Modern Art Records.

Listen: Miniature Tigers