Pretzel Logic: The Week in Albums: Mar. 11

Collapse Into Now
R.E.M.
Warner Bros.

In a week without a positive critical consensus about anything, R.E.M.'s Collapse Into Now looms the largest among the many new releases. That doesn't mean people like it, but we really can't ignore one of the biggest bands of the past thirty years. Collapse Into Now is the band's fifteenth album and it shouldn't surprise you to learn that it sounds a lot like an R.E.M. album. While the reviews weren't exactly overflowing with praise, many critics described the album as a return to form, hearkening back to R.E.M. circa-1995. Lots of anthemic guitar parts and veiled lyrical ramblings from Michael Stipe, etc, etc. Personally, as a fan of 2008's under-appreciated Accelerate, I expected more from this new, late-era incarnation of the band. I've never been wild about the band's bigger, more polished moments and Collapse Into Now features nothing but those types of songs. If you're a big R.E.M. fan, you'll probably like this record. If you're not, it won't be the one to win you over. What more can you really say?

Simon's Grade:

Smoke Ring for My Halo
Kurt Vile
Matador

Philadelphia-based songwriter Kurt Vile scored a Best New Music nod from Pitchfork this week, along with many other positive reviews. His fourth album features ten heartfelt, mostly-acoustic songs, featuring his mumbling voice and some nifty, upbeat work from his backing band, the Violators. Unfortunately, Vile does little to elevate himself out of the pack of Conor-Oberst-and-Elliott-Smith impersonators that populate every indie label in the country. At its best, Smoke Ring for My Halo uses off-kilter arrangements and bouncy melodies to create crafty little songs that worm their way into your brain (see: "Jesus Fever"). But mostly, it's just boring.

Simon's Grade:

Civilian
Wye Oak
Merge

Wye Oak are, for all intents and purposes, a clone of the band Beach House. Both bands consistent of guy-gal duos. Both bands are from Baltimore. Plus, both bands sound more-or-less the same: dreamy, hazy indie-pop flecked with electronic squiggles and smoky vocal performances. Of course, that doesn't mean Civilian is a bad record. Especially on tracks like "The Altar," Wye Oak show that they might be able to hold their own against their more established peers. In fact, their willingness to be more forceful and actually make some noise (see: "Holy Holy") is a huge mark in their favor. Civilian is a good sign, a key step in putting Wye Oak on the map. However, it's going to take at least one more strong album before they move to the front of the indie-pop ranks.

Simon's Grade: