Monday's Leaky Faucet

Who: Oasis
Title: Dig Out Your Soul
Release date: October 7th
Label: Big Brother
Thoughts: For their first album in three years, I really had no expectations of the new Oasis album. But after listening there is definitely a lot to get excited about on this record. It seems like Noel has returned to a realm of songwriting that he hasn't been in for quite some time and the band seems reinvigorated thanks to it. The opening four song sequence of "Bag It Up", "The Turning", "Waiting for the Rapture", and "The Shock of the Lightning" is as strong as anything that has previously been released by the band, and considering their history that's saying a lot. The only missteps on the album seem to be the songs written by Liam. Now I'm not gonna get into the whole which Gallagher is better debate, but his songs sound weak and out of place whenever they crop up on the album, while Noel's soar. I know I kind of trashed the single a little while back, but after a while it grew on me and listening to it along with the rest of this album has sat right with me for the past few days. This is by far the best Oasis album in a good long time.
Listen: Oasis - "Waiting for the Rapture"
Oasis - "The Shock of the Lightning"

Who: Marnie Stern
Title: This Is It and I Am It and You Are It and So Is That and He Is It and She Is It and It Is It and That Is That
Release date: October 7th
Label: Kill Rock Stars
Thoughts: The finger tapping goddess known as Marnie Stern is back! After the triumph that was last year's debut album, In Advance of the Broken Arm, Stern brings back her layered fingered tapping and looped vocals once again an an awfully titled sophomore album. If you think I'm typing that album title again, you're freakin' nuts! Album title aside, there is nothing bad about this album. The tapping is wicked and precise throughout the album, Stern's cutesy vocals are back in boat loads, and the drumming (courtesy of Zach Hill) are bombastic once again. It's pretty much the perfect follow-up, developing a little bit with the addition of bass and keyboards (from John-Reed Thompson), but her sound remains intact and as vibrant as it was on her debut. Fans of the first one will once again love it, folks that hated the original will probably hate this. I'm of course a big fan and I'm loving this album #2 even if it's title is unwieldy.
Listen: Marnie Stern - "Shea Stadium"
Marnie Stern - "The Package Is Wrapped"

Who: I'm from Barcelona
Title: Who Killed Harry Houdini?
Release date: October 14th
Label: Mute Records
Thoughts: On their first album, Let Me Introduce My Friends, Emanuel Lundgren and his 28-friend band crafted a twee masterpiece. Rife with joyous harmonies, silly lyrics, tons of odd instruments, and an overall sense of good times the album wound up on many year end lists and most people had a happy, fun time listening to the album. Yet on their sophomore release Who Killed Harry Houdini? the band go away from all that crafting something darker, filled with the idea of death and destruction. The expansiveness of the sound is still here with huge harmonies and choral arrangements and a plethora of instruments, but gone is the fun feeling that seemed like the perfect identity for a 29-member band. I think this darkness actually saps a lot of the life from the music on Who Killed Harry Houdini?, but despite that it's still a pretty deep and solid record. It's nowhere near as immediate as their first offering but after a couple of listens the music wins you over and you realize that you're enjoying it even if you're not having fun doing so.
Listen: I'm from Barcelona - "Music Killed Me"
I'm from Barcelona - "Paper Planes"