The Black Keys - El Camino (2011)

I was just about to start writing my Black Keys "El Camino" review, when I read a couple other professional reviews. SPIN magazine said everything I wanted to say, and they said it perfectly. I didn't even realize it. This is my reason from refraining from writing that particular review. Instead I want to share with you the link to SPIN's review of it.

My own comments on this album are pretty basic. It's a phenomenal album, just not an A+ for casual listening. It's an album I would like to experience with friends, at a party, or live. Without a doubt those guitar grooves would get me dancing like a mad man. Alright! Now I have plans for this weekend!

The Fray - "Scars & Stories" (2012)

The Fray have slipped into a hole.

By this, I mean they have truly discovered their "sound" on the third album; a mistake that select bands make by being too consistent. The artist(s) loses much originality by doing this. Producer Brendan O'Brien (Incubus, Stone Temple Pilots) seems to have an influence over the band though, steering the group away from Coldplay comparisons, and instead into a more guitar-based direction; something that fans could be disappointed about. With lead single Heartbeat, we hear Issac Slade's signature cry over a band playing their parts a bit too enthusiastically. There is simply too much commotion. To say that the Fray are still making effortless and timeless hits like 'How to Save a Life' would be a very, very long stretch of the truth.

As the Fray decide to attempt to wiggle in the small space they've created for themselves, the danceable track, Turn Me On proves awkward for anyone familiar with Issac and his piano, as the band has nixed it completely at this point. The lyrics don't seem to line up either; something about running away from family into the arms of a lover. Even more unorthodox, the post-punk Hear We Are gives off a provocative vibe that no one is quite ready for.

With inspiration coming from vacations to third-world countries, the stories still roll out with every tune, but even the most keen listener would not be able to read between the lines of Slade's clichés . What the Fray lacks on Scars & Stories is something that they used to be very good at, and that was giving us songs to sing along to. With less anticipation than it's predecessor, it is difficult to decide if our boys tried too hard this time around, or didn't try enough.

RATING: 5/10

Ingrid Michaelson - "Human Again" (2012)

You can usually tell when a musician grew up with both parents being artistic as well. The child grows up writing in a diary and someday turns those poems into songs. This is the case for our lovely Ingrid Michaelson, as she continues through the music world as another "indie pop girl-who-escaped-to-New York-to-make-it-big".

Her latest effort showcases the singer/songwriter's rawest emotion yet, especially with the somber whimper of I'm Through. Within the ballad, Michaelson tells us of a lost love, but with no remorse. I'll always know you were the one/ To rip me from the ground/ It's all because of you that I'm through, she cries with the assorted orchestra backing her. And with no sort of transition, the next story off the album, Blood Brothers, preaches that we're all the same. The uplifting feel the progression of this song has, makes this one stand out as a casual "go-to" track for those looking for that anti-world-depression drug.

The lead single, Ghost, has Michaelson desperately wanting to express that she is a lost soul, and may not be able to find herself again. With fancy vocal embellishments and innocent attitude, there isn't a whole lot else that makes the music very interesting to listen to. Perhaps the sweetest track off Human Again could be Keep Warm. This track could be the staple for any Hollywood romantic cult-classic movie. Here we have a soothing melody that actually warms your heart, as well as enchanting additions from the backing orchestra, much like what Ray Charles' "Georgia on my Mind" did for our hearts. However, Michaelson has a long way to go before we can consider her as soulful as she has the potential to be.

Without any sort of consistency, the album as a whole lacks a certain flow. Going from a reluctant heartbreak to a cherished one so quickly can be hard on our conscious; as humans, we need time to heal. Keep in mind that although the songs are well constructed, Ms. Michaelson may have to work a bit harder to differentiate her vocal demeaner. We want her to really show us that at the end of the world, we can still find someone to leave this place together.

RATING: 5/10