Music Reviews: The Weepies, Depeche Mode, The Hold Steady

The Weepies - "Say I Am You", "Happiness": Having reviewed their most recent CD (Hideaway) elsewhere, this review goes back two albums to their beginnings. Gosh, what a great sound.

Their voices are each fine, but when blended, it's almost like a third emerges. And they're not overly serious about themselves or their craft, but they're really good at doing unabashedly sentimental and likeable tunes in a style that has underpinnings of happiness regardless of the topic at hand. They are a real favorite.

I recommend (in addition to Just Blue, All This Beauty, Wish I Could Forget from "Hideaway"), from "Happiness" (their debut): Somebody Loved, Simple Life, All That I Want (the song from the JCPenney commercial last Christmas). From "Say I Am You": Gotta Have You, Take It From Me, Painting By Chagall, Nobody Knows Me At All, Living In Twilight.

Depeche Mode - "The Singles 86-98": I'm finally relenting and listening to this group because my daughter says I should. :) And has said so for years now. Okay, okay.  

Well, my first thought is... they sound soooo '80's.  ;)  Which, of course, they were.  But back then, I'm sure they were pretty darn progressive.  I have a feeling that Moby followed their lead to a great extent (not to mention remixing some of their tunes.)  On the whole, not my favorite band, but not bad.  Guess I'd rather listen to Moby.  :)

Lots of electro-pop synthesized sound, with vocals that have so much echo they sound like they were recorded underneath a bridge in a culvert.  Kind of David Bowie-ish on the vocal, I think, and a bit repetitious style-wise.

I can see how they might have succeeded in the British club scene at first and then broadened out to a larger audience, including across the Atlantic.  Not bad, really.  I kind of liked Enjoy The Silence, as well as Policy of Truth, Home, A Question of Lust, A Question of Time, World In My Eyes, Walking In My Shoes, It's No Good.

The Hold Steady - "Stay Positive": Okay, this one isn't a career-overview. It's one CD. But it was cheap on Amazon, and I wanted to try it, and see if these local boys are any good.  Um... no.

Well...  that's harsh.  I guess they are good players.  They can rock.  The backing band is strong, and could go head-head with Coldplay.  But the lead vocal is weak, and the songs belie the album title.  They are *not* positive.  I had thought I might go see them when they hit town on 11/15, but - nope.  I'll pass.  

Is Keane touring?  THEM I'd like to see.