Quickie Album Reviews

Grandaddy - Just Like The Fambly Cat (V2 Ada) Grandaddy’s swan song is as good a farewell gift as any band can give. Instead of phoning it in, as many bands in the midst of breaking up might do, they chose to record what might be their best work yet. At turns soft, sunny and playful, others frenzied, frantic and desperate, it’s an album packed with more ideas than most bands have in an entire career; a rich aural experience that rewards repeated listens. – Gabe Burger Division Day – Beartrap Island (Self-release) Lines like "A dirty kid with insects all in your mouth," "I want your blood inside my head," and "Are you a murder friend?" represent the sort of lyrical absurdity you can expect from Division Day’s first full-length album, but try to dislodge them from your mind and you’ll find them all steadfastly in place. Catchy, varied, and original, Beartrap Island is a must-have release from one of indie rock’s most shockingly unsigned bands. – Joe Fielder The Electric Soft Parade - The Human Body EP (Better Looking Records) ESP has assembled a strong batch of well-produced, well-studied pop/rock tunes in The Human Body EP. A band that wears its ambition, and its influences, on its sleeve, their sound makes it no secret they want to be BIG. Originally released in the U.K. last year, the U.S. release gets an extra psychedelic workout, The Captain. Standouts include Cold Word, the epic Everybody Wants, and Kick In The Teeth (which has a riff that must’ve been raided from Josh Homme’s footlocker). – Gabe Burger