CALVIN HARRIS - Ready For The Weekend

Ready For The Weekend is Calvin Harris' second album. It came out in August of 2009. He continues to make music of the same style as his debut album, I Created Disco: electro pop/dance/rock. While I like songs like "The Rain" and "Flashback" quite a bit, there are a lot of other ones that I'm just not feeling. I find the album to be rather inconsistent as a whole product. I also found the rapping on the album to be out of place. I definitely like his debut album better. Sorry, Calvin.

www.myspace.com/calvinharristv
www.calvinharris.co.uk

DVAS - Society

I think their logo is really cool. They are a Canadian electro group. They're playing upbeat, danceable electro pop. Some tracks have vocals, others are entirely instrumental. It's not going to be the first thing I recommend to others, but it's okay. It's not the most memorable stuff. I imagine it sounds better live and better when played loud. "Questions" is a really cool jam. "Giving It All Away" inexplicably reminds me of Genesis' "Invisible Touch". Actually, the whole record has a definite 80s influence to it. I think I'd play this record at a party where people were encouraged to dance but dancing wasn't the focus of the evening's activities, if that makes any sense at all to people that are not me.

www.myspace.com/dvasmusique
dvasmusique.com

HANK AND CUPCAKES - Hank and Cupcakes EP

From Brooklyn by way of Israel (not something I get to type everyday), Hank & Cupcakes are here to entertain you/rock you/move you. Cupcakes sings and plays drums while Hank lays down the bass. The EP kicks off with two songs sure to get you out on the dance floor, "Ain't No Love" and "Pleasure Town". Cupcakes is cool and confident as she delivers her lyrics. The third track, "Roses", shows her as more emotional and vulnerable and is more the type of song where people will wave their lighters (or cell phones these days) than shake their booty. The album closes with a cover of Joy Division's "She's Lost Control". I've heard a number of bands try this cover, often with disastrous results. H&C keep it together, though, and manage to deliver an interesting take on the song. The EP is just a brief introduction to the band but shows them in fine form.

From what I've heard, the duo are a great live act and they will be embarking on a Fall 2010 tour this November, with dates along the East Coast. Check their Myspace for more details and shows near you.

www.myspace.com/hankandcupcakes
www.hankandcupcakes.com

GHOSTLAND OBSERVATORY - Codename: Rondo

The duo from Austin, Texas returns with their fourth studio album. These two dudes, Aaron Behrens and Thomas Turner, have got to be some of the most likable weirdos in the musical world right now. Their weirdness continues on this album. The title track involves the narrator instructing someone who has the codename of "Rondo" to purchase him a Slurpee, amongst other tasks. This whole idea would seem preposterous for most bands, but Ghostland pulls it off without a hitch. "Kick Clap Speaker" features a computer voice that sounds eerily similar to the one in Radiohead's "Fitter Happier". There's not really a lot of Behrens' natural high-pitched vocals on this album, which I am a bit disappointed by. Other than that, though, the songs all have a good beat and I'm sure people at parties would love to dance to this while swirling their glow sticks in the air. Yet another inherently odd album from these guys, but it's still interesting stuff. Dirty electro/rock/dance/wtf from these dudes. This album officially comes out on October 26th, on the duo's own Trashy Moped Recordings. Dig it.

SEE THE SNEAK PEEK FOR THE NEW ALBUM HERE: http://www.youtube.com/trashymoped

www.myspace.com/ghostlandobservatory
www.ghostlandobservatory.net
www.trashymoped.com

YEAH YEAH YEAHS - Zero (single)

New single from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, off of their third album, It's Blitz!, which is slated for release on April 13. The single showcases a dancier side of the band, complete with synths. Karen O is still one of the best frontwomen, and best lead singers regardless of gender, and she helps to keep the band's sound from evolving too far from traditional YYY's territory.

www.myspace.com/yeahyeahyeahs
www.yeahyeahyeahs.com

BLACK GOLD - Rush

The duo releases their full-length debut. The two members are Eric Ronick (Panic at the Disco, Ambulance Ltd.) and Than Luu (Rachel Yamagata, shushshush, M. Ward). They play electropop/rock/dance with male vocals. At times, they do sound like a 2009 version of the Bee Gees, which is a huge compliment coming from someone who grew up in a household that had several Bee Gees records that were no strangers to the living room stereo. The catchy songs are really good; there are a few filler songs, but overall, good stuff.

www.myspace.com/blackgoldrush
www.blackgoldmusic.com

Thing One - You'll Be Fine

Hailing from New Jersey, they started out playing hip-hop but they have since evolved into an electropop/dance/rock band. There are still some hip-hop influences as well as some soul and funk influences, but their main objective now is to get you dancing, and they do a damn good job. I saw them live and their set was excellent; they combine computer generated sounds with live instrumentation to result in a truly danceable sound that filled up the room. Check them out. (Interesting side facts: Bassist Spencer Miles is the brother of Ra Ra Riot's lead singer, Wesley Miles; Miles and singer Joey Palestina went to high school with Vampire Weekend guitarist Ezra Koenig - maybe there's something in the water back home?)

www.myspace.com/thingone
www.thing-one.com

Sebastien Grainger - Sebastien Grainger And The Mountains

This is his debut solo album. He is best known for his work with the drum-and-bass dance-punk duo, Death From Above 1979. He continues to play upbeat dance rock/punk on this album, but for the most part, it is less abrasive and more accessible than DFA1979. In fact, this album really rocks. It is recommended for people who like to dance.

www.myspace.com/sebastiengrainger
www.sebastiengrainger.net

Black Ghosts - Black Ghosts

Debut album for the duo of Simon Lord (former member of Simian) and Theo Keating (The Wiseguys). They are based out of London. Marketed as a dancey electrorock group, several of the songs on here are slow and boring and highlight the fact that their singer isn't that good. However, the faster songs live up to the hype and should be suitable to fans of Klaxons, New Young Pony Club, and the like.

www.myspace.com/blackghosts
www.theblackghosts.co.uk

Ghostland Observatory - Robotique Majestique

Everyone's favorite electro/dance/funk/rock duo from Austin returns with their third full-length album! High pitched male vocals. If you like The Rapture, Hot Chip, or even Daft Punk, but wish that they sounded trashier, this just might be the trick. Kind of a weird sound from two guys who appear to be inherently strange, but I quite like them. For the adventurous types.

www.myspace.com/ghostlandobservatory
www.ghostlandobservatory.net

Ghostland Observatory - Dancing On My Grave single

The new single from their upcoming third full-length album. They are a weird mix of trashy electronica, dance, rock, and funk. The singer has a distinctive, high-pitched voice. The B-side to the single, the instrumental "Club Soda," is the best track on this three-song sampler. A band for the more adventurous person to enjoy. As a side note, I saw these two guys perform on Austin City Limits and spent most of the time watching them trying to decide if the singer was male or female (as it turns out, he is in fact a male).

www.myspace.com/ghostlandobservatory
www.ghostlandobservatory.net

The Ropes - Cry To The Beat EP

Here is the newest EP from New York City's female-fronted dance-rock band, The Ropes. The different parts of the songs, such as verse/chorus/bridge, don't really flow together naturally and it makes for a jarring listen. It sounds like they can write decent parts of songs, but not whole songs. An underwhelming effort. As a side note, 2 of the 5 songs on this have swears and are not radio friendly.

www.myspace.com/theropes
www.theropesonline.com