LOW BROWSean KingstonTomorrowYou know those drunken nights of self-loathing BK gorgefests? After a brew too many and a feast of fillers, you feel slightly satisfied, but more than slightly bloated – that’s the gist of Tomorrow. There isn’t a single inspired lyric on the 19-year-old’s second album (where his rhyming dictionary seems only to suggest “diamond ring” and “pretty little thing” as possible partners), but you didn’t come to Kingston for freshly plucked words from the verbal fruit tree any more than you came to The Keg in hopes of using toilet paper. You chose him to find a “Fire Burning” to which you can grind. Try “My Girlfriend” or “Mista DJ”… there’s little difference. If you feel guilty after gorging on the album’s junk-food tracks, “Face Drop” will comfort (“Sayin’ that I look better if I was thinner/Don’t you know you shoulda love me for my inner.”) But if it’s serious music you crave, cut Sean Kingston from your diet.-Mandy Oaklander MIDBROWLa RouxLa Roux is some kind of futuristic sex robot and she is all over your dance floor. Songs like “In For The Kill” and “Bulletproof” (both of which blew up in the U.K. but haven’t made it here for no good reason) will make you feel good about dancing even when you can’t hook up at the end of the night. Lead singer of the British duo, Elly Jackson, is the anti-Wavves with her flipped up haircut and slightly cold but intensely focused emotions, and you will feel like a Blade Runner when the synthesizers plop and ping and some generic lyrics kick in, which by now you don’t care about because the melody is so syrupy sweet. This album is a must-have for collegiate trendsetters. -Jeremy GordonHIGHBROWMonsters of FolkMonsters of Folk is an indie music lover’s ultimate supergroup. A powerhouse of musicians, the band includes three singer-songwriter-guitarists: Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes), M.Ward and Jim James (My Morning Jacket), along with producer-instrumentalist Mike Mogis. The best part of their debut album is the collaboration in itself: M.O.F. doesn’t spotlight one musician-instead, it melds together all of their sounds and lyrics into a package of pure retro bliss. Sixteen tracks (five penned by each of the three songwriters, plus one live recording) might make for a long listen, but with songs this good it isn’t long enough. Highlights include “Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.)” where everyone has a verse, and “Goodway,” a good driving song with a catchy, raw feel. -Samantha Leal
The Brow: Music Reviews
September 27, 2009
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