Casual Listening -- Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Madeleine Peyroux, Handsome Furs

Casual Listening – Week of March 8, 2009

Guest listeners – Jason M. Lusk and Yesh R. Pavlik

*Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Its Blitz (Alternative)

Similar to recent work by the Ting Tings, this latest release by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs is energetic, danceable and very new wave-esque. Between the commanding vocals and energizing beat, you’ll want to want to rock those 80’s dance moves.

Check out the Heads will roll track for what we consider the best of the best on this album.

*Madeleine Peyroux – Bare Bones (Pop/Pop Vocals)

Whimsical and jazzy. If you’re an Etta James or Norah Jones fan, this album is an easy fit. Close your eyes, listen to the music and feel yourself transported into the art deco era. Hand me my flapper dress, we loved this album!

Listen to, Instead and Damn the circumstances

Handsome Furs – Face Control (Alternative)

Think early Coldplay and Joshua Tree-era U2. We imagined the lead singer wearing tight jeans (possibly why his voice sounds a little whiny). Listening to him makes you feel a little bit cooler.

Check out Evangeline

Kelly Clarkson – All I Ever Wanted (Pop)

This album hardly represents musical evolution, but expect the same hard-ass-pop quality that you’ve come to expect from this American Idol winner. Maybe her Texas roots are starting to show, but do we hear a little country pop in there too?

Listen to the track all of the radio stations will be spinning, My life would suck without you

But hear Kelly’s softer side in, Cry and Already Gone

In Flames – Whoracle Reloaded (metal)

An album named Whoracle? We couldn’t help ourselves. The title track has a startling celtic sound and takes a page from recent acts like Naio Ssaion, mixing heavy guitars and heavy beats with softer and more subtle musical textures. Careful with this stuff. For the metal newbie, Whoracle could be your gateway to a life of black trench coats and devil horns.

We’d recommend the title track, Whoracle as well as Jotun.

Rocco DeLuca And The Burden- Mercy (Rock)

Meet the lovechild of Dave Matthews and Macy Gray. Songs like I Trust You to Kill Me beg for air guitar and drums. Emotional vocals on top, delta blues riffs beneath – this is the kind of rock and roll that the non-flannel crowd was listening to in the mid-90s.