Album: Marina and the Diamonds; "The Family Jewels"

A sweet part of having a blog is that you always have something that you can do. Like write a post while riding a Megabus from NYC to Boston. Although, with the way the bumps in this road are shaking the shit out of my keyboard I wouldn't exactly call this writing. More like fumbling. I'm fumbling my way through this post.

Marina and the Diamonds stars none other than Marina Diamandis. Yes, this is her real name and yes she does look like a model. But, don't be fooled by her good looks or shapely...shape. This girl packs a lyrical, metaphorical, and probably physical punch.

She's a live wire.

There are certainly tracks that don't deliver on the promise of her EP's or singles prior, but there are some real winners on this album. Marina is at her best when she goes big both with the production of the song and vocally. This girl can really pipe it. She combines choir girl orchestration and falsetto with rock n' roll gusto. She reminds me a bit of Matt Bellamy from time to time with the way she attacks her own lyrics. It's like she's eating them. Hot.

The record has some real treats for anyone to appreciate, but of particular note is the single that I've already linked a remix for, "I Am Not A Robot". This song has not gotten old for me after dozens of listens to both the original tune and countless remixes.

But, since I've already shown you a remix I'll let you form your own opinion with the below song, "Oh No". It encompasses a particularly important theme with Marina, her lack of desire to fit in. In an earlier song on the record she asks us if we are satisfied with average lives, because she's not...and that's what she thinks makes her weird to other people.

Marina, I'll tell you something. It doesn't make you weird to me. But even if it did, it gives us a reason to listen.

Expect great things from this girl.

Album: Delorean's "Subiza"

I'm on an electro kick. I have been for some time.

That's not to say that I haven't kept up with non-electro grooves, I've just been focusing mainly on groups that have an electronic element. It's a sound that has always appealed immensely to me. When I was in high school I would try to get into techno periodically...and couldn't. The songs were too long and not dynamic enough for me. Basically, you had to be high to enjoy them at all.

And then there was electro! As though in answer to the prayers of my heart, electro came along and combined two crucial elements of two different types of sound; Pop sensibility and technological orchestration.

The possibilities are endless.

Delorean's new album, their third, "Subiza" has a plethora of sounds for the pleasure of your ear. Of particular note are the album's jump off track, "Stay Close" and the track "Simple Graces".

"Simple Graces" sounds like some amalgamation of nineties trip hop and a choral arrangement. "Stay Close"...is just beautiful.

This is a great record and will no doubt be one of the hottest albums of the year.

Marina & the Diamonds (remixed by Clock Opera)

Anyone who has talked music with me in the past few months knows that one of the few bands that I've had time for is Marina & the Diamonds. I'll do a review on her new record later on, but in the mean time enjoy this remix that Neon Gold Records has just dropped.

Marina & the Diamonds; Clock Opera Remix

Broken Social Scene's "Forgiveness Rock Record"

The scene has really turned its back on its roots.

When I was first getting into being an "indie kid", that's what my friends and I called each other before "hipster" was a word to us, we were into the music. That's what drew us to the other things like the clothes and the attitude.

The music was always the backbone of our passion.

I feel like the "hipster scene" has hijacked what was once a beautiful thing and turned it into something rather sinister. It's not "corporate", but it's similar. It's about conformity and attitude now. The music is just another tool to establish status amongst one another and outsiders. It means no more and no less than what clothing you wear or who has the best sneer on their face at a concert.

Broken Social Scene has come out with a record that reminds me of what first drew me to independent artists. The sounds they make absolutely entrance me.

Tracks like "All to All" and "Me & and My Hand" will remind you of those first Broken Social Scene EP's and the promise of a young group of spectacular musicians playing music for the sake of playing beautiful music.

I owe Broken Social Scene a huge debt for shaping my musical tastes from the early days of their albums. Some of my fondest musical memories come from them and this record does their legacy no disservice. There are certainly tracks that I have to look the other way on, but with gems like "Meet Me In the Basement" rounding out the narrative of the record, it is impossible to ignore how good this album is.

It will probably be trashed quite a bit from Pitchfork and the like, because let's face it...it's their turn to be trashed right? God forbid that they score another one in the column of their greatness.

Fuck it. It's great. Listen to it. Buy it. But most of all, see these guys live. They will energize your soul.

I love you Broken Social Scene. Marry me.