New Music Wednesday!

Each Wednesday, I will (attempt) to review two or three songs that I am hearing for the first time and review them, in an effort to both broaden my own musical tastes and perhaps inspire you to do the same.

Well I am getting this entry in just under the gun. It's been a busy day but as promised, I've set aside the bare minimum of minutes to take in two songs that are new to me and sketch out my initial impressions. Here we go.

The Rake's Song
The Decemberists, The Hazards of Love, 2009

Though I am only somewhat familiar with The Decemberists, I have liked what I have heard so far and find Colin Meloy to be an interesting and very literary songwriter. That said, from a lyrical perspective, the story of a man who used to be a "rake" and is now a father seemed to fit right in with other songs from their canon. Musically, however, this piece was far more bracing than I expected, especially after hearing some of Meloy's recent solo work. The riff makes good use of the lower reaches of the acoustic guitar's range, while the drums, which kick in a few verses in, are heavy and relentless--definitely the principal instrumental feature of the song. The Decemberists P.R. team, or perhaps the band themselves, has described their new album as "the tale of a woman named Margaret who is ravaged by a shape-shifting animal; her lover, William; a forest queen; and a cold-blooded, lascivious rake, who recounts with spine-tingling ease how he came "to be living so easy and free" in the aforementioned 'The Rake’s Song.'" Well then. Oddly enough I heard echoes of more recent material from Green Day in "The Rake's Song", which surprised me. Although I think the song could be a bit repetitive after a while, it is fairly heavy for an acoustic guitar number and sang with gusto. It whets the appetite for the rest of the album, due out in March. Not bad for a free tune! Follow the link above to get your free mp3 of the song direct from the band.
Grade: B-

Ulysses
Franz Ferdinand, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, 2009

I've loved Franz Ferdinand and their music since I first heard the electric guitars kick in in "Jacqueline", from their eponymous debut album. Their brand of dance rock is infectious and quirky, and I think a few years ago I listened to "Do You Want To" about 50 times when it came out. "Ulysses" is undeniably Franz but with a more evolved sound, delving into synthesized sounds in the European dance fashion (along similar lines as The Killers). Although hearing of the use of the synthesizer usually scares me to the point where I will not even try to listen to a new song, I heard the tail end of this song on the radio a few weeks ago, and finally got to hear it in full tonight. Though I already used the word, the rhythm section is immediately and definitively infectious. Alex Kapranos sings of finding a "new way" to escape boredom, and what better way to chase away the doldrums than getting high while flirting with the girl from the night before, right? You can definitely dance to this stuff, but it is still rock music first and foremost. The guitars are present and prominent enough to keep this from reaching the realms of synth pop. I'd recommend "Ulysses" (pronounced "YULE-eh-sees", according to these Scots) to anyone looking to rock out (or at least nod their head) for three minutes. Definitely a Friday and Saturday night kind of song. Very cool.
Grade: B+