• Say Anything: “In Defense Of The Genre” — Max Bemis battles the demons which haunt his bi-polar brain with this brilliant double-disc, the group’s third release and the first for a major label. A beautiful mess, “Genre” is wrought with emotional lyrics which evoke the numbing depression of Weezer’s brilliant 1996 album “Pinkerton,” while serving as a melting pot of nearly every genre. Punk, reggae, pop, folk and electronica blend into a savage wreck, as sloppy and gifted as Bemis himself.
• Bob Sinclair: “Live At The Playboy Mansion” — In a mixtape as titillating as the site of its recording, French superstar Sinclar proves himself as the premier world dance mixer of the new millennium. His Euro-centric beats are heavy on melody as well as bass, mining from a treasure trove of records ranging from ‘70s soul to recent world beat in order to craft this mix. Two hours of solid grooves for your next shindig.
• Minus The Bear: “Planet Of Ice” — Seattle rockers move to the major league on their third full-length, delivering the most steady and engaging rock of their career. With a solid rhythm section and dynamic keyboard work, Minus The Bear’s riffery swells on such tracks as “When We Escape” and lead single “Knights,” perhaps besting Foo Fighters for the most melodic hard rock album of the year.
• Aesop Rock: “None Shall Pass” — Def Jux whiz furthers his textured tongue twisters on his fifth LP, proving that white boys can (occasionally) rap well. To be fair, the hazy production, primarily courtesy of Def Jux comrade Blockhead and Aesop himself, apes RZA better than RZA, dripping menace while remaining accessible. With the help of recent MTV promotion, “None Shall Pass” could prove to be Aesop’s introduction to a wider audience.
• Paramore: “Riot!” — Truly a guilty pleasure, this super-young Tennessee quartet is fronted by punk uber-babe Hayley Williams, who flexes pipes that vocalists twice her age would beg for. The band works because of her simultaneous grit and vulnerability, which twists around some of the most sugary angst-pop this side of Green Day. If you can avoid the toothache, “Riot!” is worth the ride.
Bill Earl is in school in Ithaca, NY, where he’s writing a blog for “The Ithacan” called Sharp Notes. Check it out at http://theithacan.org/blogs/sharpnotes.