Art punks Parquet Courts appear at a special live recording of Sound Opinions. Later Jim and Greg review perhaps the most anticipated album of the year: Reflektor by Arcade Fire.
You can hear Katy Perry "Roar" from the mountaintop on her latest release Prism. Unfortunately, it's the world's shortest mountain. She shot to #1 on Billboard's album chart last week, but it was the worst-selling week since 1991. Perry sold 286,000 copies of her 4th album. Compare that with albums in '91 like Use Your Illusion (685,000) and Ropin’ the Wind (400,000).
But, on the bright side, Perry's album did earn another distinction: Biohazard. Deluxe versions of Prism came with seed paper that the singer is encouraging fans to plant and "spread the light." But, Australian officials see it as a "bio-security concern." That's even worse than a Trash It rating.
"Future Shock," Curtis Mayfield sings. Well, that's what some insiders say the music industry's in for if it doesn't start planning. Greg just returned from the Future of Music Summit in Washington D.C., and there heard from Tom Silverman, the founder of the New Music Seminar, who said that the digital download era is coming to an end. Rather than continue to fight piracy, the music industry needs to focus on the next stage of revenues. Another big change on the horizon? The current copyright law, last revised in 1976, is long overdue for a makeover.
Immediately after giving double Buy It ratings to Parquet Courts' full-length debut Light Up Gold, Jim and Greg knew they wanted to invite them on the show to perform. The band made a trip to Chicago to perform at this summer's Pitchfork Music Festival, and the night before they treated a Sound Opinions audience to a live recording with Savages. Guitarist Austin Brown, bass player Sean Yeaton, guitarist Andrew Savage, and his brother, drummer Max talked about their early years (including the "Knights of the Round Turntable"), their speedy recording process and side jobs. If you weren't able to make it, don't fret. We've got photo and video. And while you're at it, check out the Savages set.
Arcade Fire (arguably the most important indie rock band to crossover into the mainstream since Nirvana) is back with its highly-anticipated fourth release. Coming off the heels of last year's Grammy Award-winning album, The Suburbs, this year's offering, Reflektor, takes another stab at some very big ideas. Greg appreciates the band's continued willingness to take risks, but Reflektor's sprawling sound overextends itself onto a second disc that tips the scales unfavorably away from a Buy It. Jim agrees with Greg that the band only hits the melodic and groovy sweet spot half the time (perhaps thanks to co-producer James Murphy). Additionally, the lyrics aim high as they did on previous releases, but, this time around, are just kind of a bore. Jim and Greg both say Burn It.
Greg has had the British "folktronica" group The Beta Band on his mind ever since Sound Opinions screened the film High Fidelity at The Music Box Theatre in Chicago. In the film, the song "Dry the Rain" from The Three EPs, gets a big laugh. Greg's also a fan of that song, but he thinks the rest of the band's output has been unfairly ignored. The last track off the same album, "Needles in My Eyes," is another glorious anthem, and it's Greg's Desert Island Jukebox pick of the week.
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