AlbumS of the week

Destroyer
Trouble in Dreams (Merge)


Dan Bejar is one of the most intellectual minds in music. While Trouble in Dreams doesn't match the brilliance of Destroyer's Rubies, it still shows Bejar's knack for rustic, infectious tracks and clever lyrics. It starts off very strong with the first two tracks and reaches it's climax at the album's centerpiece, the amazing "Shooting Rockets(From the Desk of Night's Ape)." But the album also finishes off strong with the solid tracks, "Leopard of Honor" and "Libby's First Sunrise." It's not necessarily a "troubled" album but it does have an overall undertone of frustration, especially relevant to women.
























hear: Blue flower/Blue Flame, Dark Leaves Form a Thread, Foam Hands, Shooting Rockets (From the Desk of Night's Ape), Leopard of Honor, Libby's First Sunrise




R.E.M.
Accelerate (Warner Brothers)










Somebody has been listening to Teenage Fanclub. Much has been made of the new R.E.M. album. We get it -the power is back. And the power is very much welcomed. Still, while Accelerate is a very fun and intriguing album with clever lyrics of its own, track for track, it's not one of R.E.M.'s best. Don't get me wrong, Accelerate has many good tracks and I totally recommend it. It just doesn't have many "great" tracks. But songs such as "Houston" and "Mr. Richards" are compelling, and Accelerate is definitely consistent. If I were to star it, I'd give it 3 and a half.


hear: Man-Sized Wreath, Supernatural Superserious, Hollow Man, Houston, Accelerate, Mr. Richards