That’s right, there’s no denying. The Great Cessation by the almighty Yob is UNDOUBTEDLY the most pissed release of 2009. And by “pissed,” I mean serious childhood issues coming brutally to light through the heaviest of heavy imaginable. And these guys are from fucking Eugene??!! Frank Black and Yob reside in the same college town…go figure.

Ben Harper and Relentless7
White Lies for Dark Times
Virgin

Ben Harper’s musical career has been filled with much praise and prestige. Whether it be his certified gold solo album Fight for Your Mind or his groundbreaking Live From Mars with the Innocent Criminals, Harper has enjoyed the luxury of much-deserved critical acclaim. His new album, White Lies For Dark Times, with Texas-based backing band Relentless7 should be received with similar enthusiasm to prior efforts. “Number with No Name” kicks the album off with a danceable bluesy swagger led by crafty guitar work and Harper’s soulful singing. “Up To You Now” is a personal favorite due to the combination of steady, mid-tempo rock ‘n’ roll with Harper’s tender vocals and intelligent lyrics regarding war and struggle. Ironically enough, White Lies For Dark Times is a predominantly upbeat album but with somber subject matters.
Zachary Ahern

Quieting Syrup
Songs About A Sick Boy
Lovitt

If an individual is so damn sad, then why not just down a handful of pills with a bottle of cheap whiskey on top? Or better yet, follow the true kings of sadness and stab yourself in the gut a bunch of times. Stephen Howard, the main man of Quieting Syrup has mastered the craft of crybaby emo gloom with solo debut Songs About A Sick Boy. “Passwords to a Fort Full of Pills” begins the first chapter of boring and somber tunes that Howard presents the listener with. Suggesting that Quiet Syrup’s music is down-tempo is obvious and to say it’s a downer is blatant; the brutal truth is that there’s actually an audience for this garbage somewhere in backwards America where dudes wear makeup and eyeliner and have really bad swoop haircuts.
Zachary Ahern

V/A
War Child Presents: Heroes
Astralwerks

War Child, a group designed to help war-affected children worldwide, has conceived a very unique approach to a cover album with Heroes. They asked 16 different legendary artists (Springsteen, Bowie, McCartney, etc.) to choose a song from their catalogue to be covered, and then also nominate the artist to cover it. Obviously, the results vary dramatically, as does the level of re-interpretation, but the album in general tends to reflect back nicely on the original artists. One might not associate the similarities of Bob Dylan and Beck, or Brian Wilson and Rufus Wainwright, but after Beck’s take on “Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat” and Wainwright’s medley born from Wilson’s Smile, you’d think otherwise. Two of the more provocative remakes though, come from Lily Allen on The Clash’s “Straight to Hell” and Elbow’s emotional outpouring on U2’s “Running to Stand Still.”
Dustin Bennett

The Polyamorous Affair
Bolshevik Disco
Winter Palace/Manimal

How can you name your band the Polyamorous Affair when the band is just you and your wife? I’m pretty sure that if I started a band with my significant other and tried to name it the Fucking Around On You, it would go over like a lead balloon. Anyways, they’re probably trying to sound like Ladytron with spoken female vocals and layers of keyboards, but Polyamorous’ palette of tones is hackneyed and uninspiring. The way keyboard sequencing doesn’t sync up with the drum programming on the second track, “Face Control,” sets the tone as amateurish from the start. Sorry guys, you’re not Animotion; deal with it.
Kirt Lind

Tiga
Ciao!
Last Gang

Tiga, the Montreal-based DJ, gives us his second original CD of minimal electro. Ciao! sounds heavily influenced by NYC post-disco, largely due to co-production from Soulwax and LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy, but is drastically more minimal than either group, with many songs featuring little more than a single synth line and spoken word vocals. The strongest tracks are the most melodic ones, and when Tiga starts to sing it evokes the Pet Shop Boys. The highlight is easily the single, “Shoes,” featuring a dead-pan exchange between Tiga and a girl about taking her shoes off over stuttering keyboards. The simplicity really clicks, and makes for perfect dance- party fodder.
Kirt Lind