Album reviews

Chris Walla "Field Manual" 2.5 stars

There are certain things to expect when a longtime producer records his first solo album. Most experienced knob-twiddlers tend to fill their songs with grandiose melodies and precise musicianship. But on his first solo record, "Field Manual," Chris Walla skips these conventions. Like his previous work with Death Cab for Cutie, Walla uses skewed pop melodies to create a mellow rock album.

The most striking thing about "Field Manual" is its lack of identity. The album sounds more like a compilation of the artists he has produced than an original solo release. Walla's disjointed guitar lines and earnest lyrics are extremely similar to Death Cab's signature style. Songs like "Archer vs. Light" and "Geometry 'C." could have been saved for that band's upcoming release.

While "Field Manual" is lacking original ideas, Walla carves out a beautifully complex narrative voice. The album's political lyrics do not overwhelm the listener; instead, they offer dueling perspectives while questioning the nature of compassion. Although "Field Manual" falls short of its promise, it is cohesively linked by its elegant, quirky melodies. It is proof of Walla's skills as a producer, but its constant imitation is grating.

- Samantha Shaw

British Sea Power "Do You Like Rock Music?" 4 stars

The title of the third British Sea Power album is not a joke. "Do You Like Rock Music?" fits perfectly into the genre named in its title, drawing from influences as varied as Joy Division and the Arcade Fire. But British Sea Power does not consider guitar theatrics to be the only signifier of "rock music." Instead, they use varied instrumentation and multitracking to create an enormously successful record.

The album's first single, "Waving Flags," effectively uses double-tracked vocals to celebrate the multiculturalism of Britain. On "No Lucifer," lead singer Yan considers "what the future holds" over thundering drums and propulsive chanting. Other tracks, such as the beautiful instrumental "The Great Skua" and lush opener "All In It," are masterfully executed. These songs are evidence that the band has advanced significantly.

While musically using standard rock ideals, the band also holds tight to their former eccentricity in other ways. The most noticeable characteristic that remains is their quirky lyrical focus. How many other bands have written songs about the Danish nuclear physicist Niels Bohr ("Atom")? "Do You Like Rock Music?" succeeds by maintaining this careful balance between the weird and the accessible throughout the album.

- Amanda Mastrull

Xiu Xiu "Women as Lovers" 3 stars

Songwriter Jamie Stewart's musical experiments continue on his band Xiu Xiu's sixth album, which remains as musically eclectic and puzzling as the band's other LPs. It is obvious from the opening salvo "I Do What I Want, When I Want" that Xiu Xiu is not for everyone. Stewart's hushed, near-spoken vocals are an acquired taste. While the song contains pop elements, the unconventional blasts of noise and mostly unintelligible lyrics are distinctly avant-garde. The album only becomes stranger after this first song. As it continues, Stewart alternately moans and yells his way through fourteen tracks.

A version of Queen and David Bowie's "Under Pressure" is the album's highlight. Along with Swans vocalist Michael Gira, the song features Stewart's cousin Caralee McElroy on breathy backup vocals. The song even reaches an anthemic conclusion, which is extremely rare for the band. Xiu Xiu has recorded many covers, having taken on everyone from the Pussycat Dolls to Bauhaus, and their latest effort is just as fantastic.

Unfortunately, their own material is not nearly as accessible, and "Women as Lovers" continues to be a difficult album. It is fair to say that no one sounds like Xiu Xiu, but it is up to the listener to decide if that is a good thing or not.

- Roland Li

Lenny Kravitz "It Is Time For A Love Revolution" 2 stars

This album has all the elements of a great rock record. Initially, it seems full of precise guitar playing and a great set of diverse and powerful tracks. But it gets boring fast. You need to remind yourself every now and then that you are listening to a former rock hero and not an obscure R'B singer.

Despite Kravitz's technical skill, "It Is Time for a Love Revolution" gets dull as soon as it becomes clear that its songs are essentially rehashes of other famous rock songs. If his lyrics are to be believed, Kravitz is waiting for the right woman to come along. But he is too busy soul-searching to reach any new heights, and this album proves it.

It is clear that Kravitz needs to stop looking elsewhere for something original. Until then, he will continue creating classic rock rehashes that are great for background play, but not much else.

Although there is little originality, "It Is Time for a Love Revolution" is so professionally performed and produced that one is tempted to give it serious credit. Kravitz is undoubtedly a great instrumentalist. Unfortunately, technical skill will not keep this album off the discount racks.

- Zara Burdett