The BurgerBlog

Low Vs. Diamond

It took me a while to force myself to buy Low Vs. Diamond’s self-titled album Low Vs. Diamond because of the band’s silly name, but after enjoying every single track that came up on my internet radio station, I finally caved. What originally attracted me to the indie band was the U2esque sound and Lucas Field’s reminiscence to Brandon Flower’s voice. I’m thrilled with the purchase, because through and through, Low Vs. Diamond is a quality buy.

The opening track, “Don’t Forget Sister” is by far the best song on the album. The hasty drums and whimsical vocals create a blend that Sam’s Town was unsuccessful in creating. As deep as music can get, Field sings, “Drowning in a city filled with blue blood/Can’t you see your blood is thicker/You don’t need that fancy car.” Low Vs. Diamond makes the mistake of following “Don’t Forget Sister” with “Killer B,” which is boring at best because of how much it drags compared to the rest of the album.

Low Vs. Diamond has a few “diamonds” that are worth mentioning. “Heart Attack” is quick-paced and has a retro underground dance club feel that would be well placed with Carolina Liar, and “Annie,” a sentimental piano ballad (with the necessary added strings), is a delicate gem that is one of the better songs of the album. “Actions Are Actions” is well put together musically, with a piano introduction that swells with guitar, and ends complacently with Field’s voice.

Though I happily recommend Low Vs. Diamond, what this album lacks is punch. There aren’t memorable hooks and many of the songs feel a little too similar. Though Low Vs. Diamond is Low Vs. Diamond’s debut album, I can only hope that their sophomore album will have a bit more diversity and that the band further explores their music potential.

Rating: B+

Recommended Songs: Don’t Forget Sister, Heart Attack, Annie

Toss These Songs: Killer B’, ‘Low Vs. Diamond: Low Vs. Diamond

Girl Talk

Mash-up is nothing new to the music scene, but Girl Talk (or Gregg Gillis) brings a refreshing spin to the 80’s induced music genre. In Feed the Animals, Gillis takes a bit of the old, a bit of the new, and creates a 53 minute 14 track mix that will leave its listeners craving the next music clip. The listener finds gems within familiar songs that may not have been obvious with Gillis’ guiding hand.

Gillis uses a backbeat to tie together 30 to 90 second music clips. He faces up Fergie’s “London Bridges” to Kenny Lodgen’s classic “Footloose,” the Motown classic “The Rubber Band Man,” to Bubba Sparxxx’s “Miss New Booty,” to Dexy Midnight Runners’ ” Come on Eileen,” and Unk’s “Walk it Out” to Twisted Sister’s hit 80’s single, “We’re Not Going to Take It.” To a music lover, Feed the Animals continuously throws curveballs that highlight the root song’s best attributes. And it works.

Unfortunately, the novelty of Gillis’ mash-ups do wear, and by track 10 the listener isn’t shocked by the sudden appearance of “Pop, Lock, and Drop It” or the two second clip of “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.” What keeps Feed the Animals going is the high-energy tempo that capitalizes on a familiar retro melody; without it, Gillis just lets the drums click and the song very quickly dies. Most pointedly, in “What It’s All About,” there are several seconds of waiting time before the Jackson 5’s “ABC” comes into the mix. Sometimes the randomness doesn’t work. Fortunately for Gillis, he gets it right most of the time.

Overall, Feed the Animals is a quality album from Girl Talk. I suspect that the Gillis’s style of mash-up will grow old as Girl Talk ages, but as of yet, Feed the Animals is a solid album.

Recommended and Tossed Songs: This album is a 56 minute playlist; one track does not stand on its own.

Rating: B+

Welcome to the BurgerBlog, a music review site for music lovers. This blog is apt to review anything, from U2 to Dave Barnes to Fergie, and will throw fastballs at the artists as they fight for the coveted A-grade Burger. The grading system is similar to that of high school; the bands who don’t try fail, those who are average get C’s, etc etc. Enjoy!