Sounds of the week

I have been on a cd-buying binge lately. That's how I operate. Months with no new additions to the iPod, then cd purchases at an alarming rate, repeat as desired. Here are capsule reviews of a few of the latest:

Dandy Warhols - Odditorium
***
You have to be in the mood for the Dandy Warhols too cool slowed-down party music. Odditorium is not up to the standards of "Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia", but way better than "Welcome to the Monkey House". Solid Dandy Warhols.

Gavin DeGraw - Chariot
***1/2
The double album is great roots rock, and rises above the cheese factor that turns me off from most albums of this genre. Very cool combo of the original studio album and loose 1st & 2nd take 1-night re-recordings of the songs between tours.

Queens of the Stone Age - Over the Years and Through the Woods (Live CD/DVD)
**
QOTSA are one of my favorite eccentric, "stoner" rock bands. This live album is missing the wild energy of bootlegs I've heard from their tour with Dave Grohl on drums, but still proof that their ferocious sound is legit. Live recordings show what a band is really all about, and this one adds to the overwhelming evidence that they are the real deal. Any newcomers to QOTSA should buy their first 2 studio albums first.

the Dirtbombs - If You Don't Already Have a Look
****
Detroit's ass-kicking fuzzed out 2 drummer 2 bassist punk outfit somehow combines 2-minute hardcore punk songs with soul/r&b influences. Some songs were written & recorded in an hour, and they sound it. Not a bad thing.

Danger Doom - Mouse & the Mask
****1/2
Crackling-smooth beats heavy on the hooks from Danger Mouse combined with playfully clever rhymes from MF Doom and cameos from cartoon characters. Brilliant!