Logan Lynn - “From Pillar To Post”
(November 24)

Uber ginger otter releases third studio album (and first on Beat The World label) of his self-proclaimed folk techno.  This Oregon born artist comes to us with a particular type of electro all of his own, closer to The XX than Daft Punk.  Mr. Lynn puts his somewhat monotone flavor of singing over several simple to complex dance beats. These are sounds don’t quite send one rushing to the dance floor, but gets the head bobbing none-the-less.  What is different with his approach to the genre is his delivery and lyrics. His lyrics don’t offer the usual techno spiel of booty shaking and party anthems.  His topics are scathing and usually about break-ups or rocky relationships of all kinds.  Perfect example is the downbeat single re-released here from a previous album “Feed Me To The Wolves” which has Logan as one end of a failing affair not quite willing to let go. It is always interesting when a gay artist isn’t afraid to put his/her sexuality actually on their record and not shy away using vague pronouns and such.  Logan does not shy away in fact embraces it, whom of us doesn’t know someone or are someone who could be the main subject in Logan's

Skunk Anansie-"Smashes And Trashes"
(November 2nd)

This multi-platinum English band, after disbanding eight years ago in 2001, comes back together to put out a greatest hits album. Which for a band that has been noted in the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums as one of the most successful UK chart acts, this seems like a good idea for a reintroduction. Skunk Anansie is a brit-rock band that teeters from metal to operatic balladry, adding in a punky vibe as well, sometimes in the same song.  In the center of the melee is lead singer Skin, a huge voiced Amazonian with a Grace Jones look.  She can scream or screech when it is called for, and at the same time purr and soften her voice when the atmosphere is right.  The band does a good job of structuring the songs and giving Skin a frame in which to use her malleable voice.

HEALTH-"Get Color"
(September 8, 2009)

The noise-rock group HEALTH hailing from California has dropped their second full length album, not including last years remix album "HEALTH//DISCO".  They are mostly known in the indie scene for their mash up of the song "Crimewave" with similar artist Crystal Castles.  "Get Color" can be seen as an offshoot of the same sound of that collaboration. The distinction though is where the rest of Crystal Castles catalogue bleeps and crashes HEALTH clamors, spaces out, and shimmers.  Ninety percent of the songs on "Get Color" clock in at under four and a half minutes so the space out is short and sweet. The smallest being the dreamy but wrenched opener (In Heat).  Because of this the songs never overstay their welcome. There is repetition here but the songs hit it home and take off running before it becomes too noticeable, with the exception of "Severin" which sounds like an extended remix of "In Heat".

LA ROUX -"La Roux"
(September 29, 2009)

La Roux is a British synthpop duo of androgynous musician/singer Elly Jackson and producer Ben Langmaid.  They incorporate heavy emphasis on throw-back, new wave, 80's synth. La Roux's style harkens back to when it was the thought that glitter and machines blended perfectly together. There is an old saying that imitation is the highest form of flattery, but in this case it becomes redundant. The "Material age of 80's" sound is rather prominant yet lacks the incorporation of anything new.  This kind of leaves the album stale as though it is something the listener has already heard. The self titled LP starts with one of its strongest songs in structure (In for The Kill). But with shrill vocals by Elly it is hard to imagine too many repeat listens.  She uses this technique on other songs as well, swaying from shrill to almost near deadpan. The lack of favorable distinction in the voice and the old atmosphere of the beats makes many of the songs unmemorable. On the album's middle tracks it's hard to tell one from another or even remember what they were trying to convey (example the blandly titled Colourless Colour).