Goldfrapp - "Seventh Tree"
Grade: A-
British electronica duo Goldfrapp - named after singer and frontwoman Alison Goldfrapp - has been slowly gaining in popularity since the beginning of the millennium and its debut album, "Felt Mountain."
Fusing Goldfrapp's talented vocals with instrumentalist Will Gregory's dance-punk synthesizers and array of sounds, Goldfrapp is a fixture on the European club scene. It's surprising then, that the duo's latest album, "Seventh Tree," takes such a divergent musical route.
It takes about six and a half minutes before a casual listener might realize that they are listening to an electronica outfit, as a drum machine explodes onto the scene halfway through "Little Bird."
Whereas previous albums focused on Gregory's innovative beats and textures, "Seventh Tree's" focus is on Goldfrapp's lovely, breathy voice.
While the down tempo ballads that start off the album might initially turn off fans, songs such as "Happiness" feature beautiful, multitracked vocals and bouncy pop beats that builds a pleasant vibe that continues with just a few bumps in the road (see snoozer "Eat Yourself"), for the rest of the record.
- Rudolph Klapper
Beach House - "Devotion"
Grade: B-
Beach House's music perfectly coincides with the group's name.
As one might take a trip over to a beach house for a weekend of relaxation in the sun, the band's music resembles a peaceful reverie of calm days, when there is absolutely nothing to do.
While doing nothing does have its benefits, it gets old. This is Beach House's mistake. Rather than occasionally partying it up, it maintains the same pace throughout its second record, "Devotion," trying as hard as possible to keep the noise down and not disturb the neighbors.
"Gila," the band's first single, epitomizes this problem. Instead of developing upon the musical ideas it presents at the beginning of the song, the duo is content to ride gently along on vocalist Victoria Legrand's dreamy lyrics with a fuzzy guitar and piano in the background.
While the relaxing tempos and Legrand's comforting voice make for a potent musical sleeping aid, "Devotion's" failure to deviate from the band's dream-pop formula makes an entire listen through the album unmemorable.
Hey, at least it's better than Jack Johnson.
- R.K.
Janet Jackson - "Discipline"
Grade: B-
Ah, the Jackson family. Whether it is Michael entertaining youngsters at his home or Janet showing off her body at the Super Bowl, they can always be counted on to deliver fresh music.
While Janet's last two albums had many thinking she had lost her pop touch, "Discipline" throws her back into the club with a number of righteous jams and a few duds.
Jackson's first single, "Feedback," opens with its namesake before dropping back to a steel-drum rhythm and Janet's seductive, Michael-esque voice tells the listener, "Tonight my body's an exhibition baby/Don't be scared to touch it/So come and get it babe." Hey, no one ever said Jackson was a lyrical genius, but the production on the song by D'Mile and Darkchild is irresistibly danceable.
Not all of the songs on the album are as club-ready, such as the boring "Rock With U" and the embarrassing ballad "Can't B Good." Jackson's inexplicable decision to include a number of interludes where she talks to a robot or says unintentionally comedic nuggets, such as "four words: love, faith, hope, destiny," stunt the album's momentum.
"Discipline's" strong production is perfectly tailored for the dance floor and will no doubt put the Jackson name back on the airwaves.
- R.K.
