Album Name: The Birth and Death of Meaning
Artist: The Debutante Hour
Year/Label: 2010 / Independent

[Buy at Amazon] (pricey)
[Download at Amazon]

Review by Anna Maria Stjärnell

The Debutante Hour plays charmingly retro though not necessarily nostalgic music.

Opener Your Worldview Gets Me Down has sweet vocals and sharp words, and an accordion to make for a lovely sound.
It sounds like Nellie McKay can look over her shoulder for this competition is very fierce.

Miracle Birth is a neat account of the birth of some deities with a delightfully skewed humor and spot on harmonies.

Organizing My Planner for Next Week is equally smart, the trio of Susan Hwang, Mia Pixley and Maria Sonevytsky bringing their attention to modern day problems like information overload. Musically it’s still the same old-fashioned yet fresh sound.

Sometimes I Wonder About the Creator of the Universe has a sweet melody to underpin its existential crisis. The lead vocal is astute and lovely.

Elsewhere there are songs about zombies and 4th dimensions and all done in the most charming way possible. It’s a great album to spend some time with.

Track Listing
1. Your Worldview Gets Me Down
2. Devil Song
3. Miracle Birth
4. Galax
5. Sunday In The Trailer
6. Watch Carrie Eat
7. Organizing My Planner For Next Week
8. For Myself
9. Sometimes I Wonder About The Creator Of The Universe
10. Zombies Are Zen
11. 4th Dimension
12. Croak, Hiss And Sputter
13. Scheherazade
14. Be Yourself

[The Debutante Hour Official Site]

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The post Album Review: The Birth and Death of Meaning by The Debutante Hour first appeared on Collected Sounds.

Album Name: Because I’m Not Myself You See
Artist: Goodbye Gadget
Year/Label: 2010 / MyShorts Records
[Buy at Amazon]
[Download at Amazon]
[eMusic]

Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds

My original notes on this one? “I like this one, it’s fun.”

And it is. The music has a bit of an 80s feel to it, with the keyboard/synth and the Go-Go’s style chirpy singing. I mean this in the best way possible. Remember I am a child of the 80s (well a teenager of the 80s). It makes me want to put my hair in a side ponytail and jump around.

But that’s not to say it’s outdated. There are a lot of bands now coming out with sort of a retro sound and there’s plenty of room for that I think. The songwriting here is great. The melodies are at times unexpected which is always welcome.

The title track (I feel the comma is misplaced, but perhaps that’s just me) is cool and a little more mellow than the others. The vocals show better here. Piano is prominent and the melody is cool.

I also like Let’s Go. It actually makes me want to dance. Almost nothing makes me want to dance anymore.

A look at their cover art and MySpace page show they’re a fun group. I bet they’d be great live!

Track Listing
1. Sugar & Sinnamon
2. Bitter Freedom
3. Because, I’m Not Myself You See
4. Let’s Go!
5. Dealbreaker
6. Missing

[Goodbye Gadget Official Site]

The post Album Review: Because I’m Not Myself You See by Goodbye Gadget first appeared on Collected Sounds.