Get Set Go: Selling Out & Going Home

Selling Out & Going Home is Get Set Go’s third release, and it falls short for fans of the band’s witty and often hilarious songs. Get Set Go seems to have dug into the archive of every rejected song written about an ex-girlfriend and decided to compile an album with them.

Each song seems is about a woman whose failed interest has sparked a melancholy night spent drinking alone. While that may be good every once in a while, it’s not entirely pleasant when replicated in 17 songs. This album is almost completely devoid of the group’s tragically sad and amusing lyrics, and, in fact, the only way they can

keep up the laughs is when they go into an unprovoked stream of expletives in the middle of a song – which they do very often. Sadly, even that technique burns out quickly. Yes, Go Set Go has the talent to perform and be loved by fans, but the songs on Selling Out do not have a varied enough subject matter to warrant many listens.

Alexandria Kassman

Clap Your Hands: Some Loud Thunder

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah members became the poster boys for do-it-yourself indie rock in 2005 with the release of their self-titled debut album. Without even the support of a record label in the United States, this band has gained enough attention to make even major-label bands jealous.

The group’s sophomore album, Some Loud Thunder, is a great improvement overits debut. Many criticized the band’s first record for its less-than-stellar audio quality, but it seems the band has invested some of its recent earnings into a higher-quality recording setup.

While the new album still features the same gritty, Talking Heads-esque style that brought the band recognition, it has been refined and polished. Songs such as “”Satan Said Dance”” were played last year on tour and evolved through multiple performances.

The album’s title track, with its dirty guitars and yelped lyrics, is a great example of the band’s sound. It’s catchy in a subdued way and even features a pseudo-guitar solo, a rarity in modern day indie rock.

“”Love Song No. 7″” sounds like it was recorded in a dimly lit cabaret with its varied instrumentation and repetitious keyboard pattern.

This song slows down the album as the band seems to focus more on varying dynamics.

Still, this album has its faults that may annoy the average listener. Singer Alec Ounworth’s vocals are often drawn-out whiny passages that are just plain annoying. Some songs also wander away from the band’s main idea, which may alienate those looking for a pop-rock record.

Some Loud Thunder is no doubt impressive, but by no means perfect. Fans of Talking Heads, early Radiohead or indie rock in general should definitely give this one a spin.

Patrick Valenzuela

Ana’s Mitchell: The Brightness

Ana’s Mitchell’s debut album The Brightness sounds like a demo tape that shouldn’t have been released to the public.

Although the tracks, released on Ani DiFranco’s record company Righteous Babe Records, would be enough for someone to sign Mitchell as an up-and-coming talent, her vocals and song composition need some work and are almost too raw for continual listening.

With a voice like a 15-year-old Lisa Loeb, Mitchell has enough talent to become a MySpace superstar with a small following, but her debut isn’t as strong as it could have been with a bit more editing. Her strong voice resonates through the speakers, allowing listeners to hear every nuance in her singing technique – something modern recording technology could easily have patched up to make the

sounds easier on the ears.

She probably has much more in her bag of tricks to show to the public, but as of yet, The Brightness sounds like a piano-rock one-woman show version of Something Corporate, with about half the talent.

Alexandria Kassman