Capsule Music Review - Battles

Battles - Mirrored

The key to avoid being labelled as pretentious, apparently, is to not have lyrics. It isn't the Byzantine time signatures, the obscure cultural borrowings parachuting into the mix, or the wanking, er, sorry, the musicianship, that makes music pretentious, it's the lyrics. Thank God, nothing about crystal pools of being, or mystical warriors, here.

Let's acknowedge that the music rocks. Song structure nyet, but maybe we can leave that to the Super Furry Animals of the world. The lack of identifiable pop form, the lack of lyrics, makes this a record you can project yourself on to. Sex, anyone? Anthony Braxton's son Tyndall (Tyndia, Tyndox, Tynwhatever) is in this band.

Capsule Music Review - Architecture in Helsinki

Architecture in Helsinki - Places Like This

Play that slightly funky music, white boy. This fun music mixes funk and whimsical children's music into a delightful stew of something that tastes good on rye bread. I recommend "Heart It Races" for your next children's compilation.

When an Architecture in Helsinki track plays in my car:

3-year old daughter: "Daddy, what's this called?
Daddy: "Um, Architecture in Helsinki."
3-year old daughter: "Daddy?"
Daddy: "Yes, sweetie?"
3-year old daughter: "Can you play checsher sinky?"